Having already claimed two lives and burned tens of thousands of acres, the massive Ferguson Fire has now put another worrisome notch in its belt:
The wildfire has moved into Yosemite National Park.
As officials had been anticipating, the massive blaze entered the park on Thursday, claiming trees and scrub near the small community of Wawona on the park’s southern hem. That hamlet is the site of the historically acclaimed Wawona Hotel, now known as Big Trees Lodge. And fans of the hotel around the world have been fretting in recent days over the safety and salvation of the beloved inn.
Cal Fire on Friday offered these updates on the Ferguson Fire burning its way through Mariposa County:
- 73,560 acres;
- 41 percent contained;
- now in its 22st day after starting on July 13 in the Sierra National Forest
- 2,845 personnel are fighting it, with 136 engines, 50 water tenders, 14 helicopters, 66 crews, 5 masticators and 38 dozers;
- there have been 2 fatalities and 11 injuries;
- 10 structures have been destroyed;
Firefighters worked throughout the night Thursday to contain a couple of spot fires outside Wawona.
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Another major concern for Cal Fire is the Carr Fire, which started on July 23 and is straddling Shasta and Trinity counties. At nearly 40-percent containment, the Carr has burned 131,896 acres, destroyed 1,067 structures and is still threatening 1,358 more.
Meanwhile on social media, residents and visitors worried aloud as the Ferguson Fire carved a fiery path across the park’s perimeter and into Yosemite:
https://twitter.com/LethalWeaponWC/status/1022716273946324992
The Ferguson fire is nipping at the heels of this beloved Yosemite lodge https://t.co/lHubsjTxDj pic.twitter.com/jV46sJswCf
— Mercury News (@mercnews) August 2, 2018
A lot of smoke in the mountains from the Ferguson Fire near Yosemite this morning, this is the view from my backyard! 🙁 Highways 140 & 41 are closed into Yosemite due to fire operations and for safety! 😬 pic.twitter.com/hOfc0DNKvM
— Nice Mikey 🇺🇸 (@NiceMikey) July 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/kassidy731/status/1022980734787543040
Yosemite National Park is Evacuated From Threat of Fire Todays California REPORTShttps://t.co/XqLFGafzXf pic.twitter.com/QXhpGg9qWq
— Todays California (@TodaysCali) July 26, 2018
.@NPS announced that the closure of @YosemiteNPS will continue through the weekend in response to the Ferguson Fire. What you need to know to stay safe: https://t.co/qUuIajbEiV
— National Parks Conservation Association (@NPCA) August 2, 2018
Cell service has been a challenge, but shot this video while a firefighter escorted us through the Wawona area. #Yosemite park officials confirm the fire has breached some parts of the National park. Crews are back burning in Wawona area. Fire can be seen in the distance. @ABC30 pic.twitter.com/q5YmO9y7Cm
— Nathalie Granda (@NathalieMGranda) August 3, 2018
The splashes of sunlight are orange from the fires in Yosemite. So sad our mtns are burning! The yrs of drought killed so many trees. #🙏4☔️
— Shelly Kaplan (@bishopborn56) July 25, 2018
#RMNP flags & all NPS flags are sadly at half staff in honor of firefighter Captain Brian Hughes, of the Arrowhead Interagency Hotshot Crew based out of Sequoia & Kings Canyon NP, who was struck and killed by a tree while working on the Ferguson Fire just outside Yosemite NP. ks pic.twitter.com/ZS6geSITmC
— RockyNPS (@RockyNPS) July 30, 2018
mammoth day 1
the yosemite fire is making the sky super smokey 😰 pic.twitter.com/Bay9VxqdWm
— joseph 📸 (@disneywjoseph) July 29, 2018
Map by Groveland’s FB page comparing Rim Fire burn scar to #FergusonFire. Problem: tens, maybe hundreds of 1000s of dead Ponderosa & Sugar Pines between east flank of fire & Yosemite Valley. Success of backfires & cooperative weather are big question marks over next week or two. pic.twitter.com/j4DnUCBZWM
— Paul Ashby (@paulashby) July 25, 2018
https://twitter.com/soundslikesarah/status/1025151131524055040
