One of the two main highways into Yosemite National Park from the Bay Area remained closed Thursday, as smoke from a wildfire poured into the park.
The Briceburg Fire, which began Sunday afternoon in the steep canyons of the Merced River, roughly 12 miles west of Yosemite’s Arch Rock Entrance along Highway 140, had burned 4,900 acres and was 25% contained by mid-day Thursday. The fire had doubled in size over the past 48 hours.
“I wouldn’t say we have the upper hand,” said CalFire spokeswoman Emily Kilgore. “But things are working in our favor. The winds that were predicted really haven’t come to fruition, so we have been making a lot of progress and we expect to see more through the day.”
In recent days, fire danger has been extreme around California, with strong winds, low humidity and dry conditions triggering PG&E’s decision to shut down power lines serving at least 2 million residents across Northern California. Fires on San Bruno Mountain and in Moraga prompted a huge response from fire crews, and were quickly contained. And several larger fires charred remote areas.
Firefighters this week were also battling a fire in Inyo National Forest, east of Kings Canyon National Park. The Taboose Fire had burned nearly 11,000 Thursday, but was 75% contained, officials said. To the north, firefighters on Monday achieved 100% containment of the Walker Fire in the Plumas National Forest near Quincy, after the blaze burned 54,000 acres over four weeks, destroying 9 buildings.
By noon on Thursday, 1,379 firefighters were battling the blaze near Yosemite, which was burning mostly on remote, privately owned in steep canyons around the Merced River near Sierra National Forest.
The fire has disrupted businesses and tourism, rekindling memories of last summer’s Ferguson Fire, which burned 96,000 acres close by the same area and forced much of Yosemite, including Yosemite Valley, to close for a week, amid choking smoke levels. A bulldozer operator fighting that fire also died.
At Happy Burger Diner in Mariposa, business was down 40% from a typical October week, said owner Greg Fritz.
“The fire is having a big impact,” Fritz said. “The road is closed, so tourists have to drive a long way around to get to the park. This is a beautiful place and it’s worth it but some people don’t have the time.”
Yosemite officials said that heading into the weekend, the park remains open.
“It’s still busy,” said Yosemite spokeswoman Jamie Richards. “Visitors are coming. We do have some smoke impacts but it’s business as usual.”
Overall, California has had a mild fire season so far this year. Wet weather this winter increased the moisture levels of trees and brush across the state. And although winter rains means more grass grows, statistics show that less acreage burn in California after wet winters than dry ones, because fires that start in grasses do not spread as easily to larger vegetation when it holds more moisture.
Through Sunday, for example, a total of 40,712 acres had burned since Jan. 1 on the private and state-owned lands overseen by CalFire. By comparison, more than 15 times as much — 627,577 acres — had burned in CalFire’s territory over the same time period last year. And this year’s total is far less than CalFire’s 5-year average of 325,411 acres over the same interval. But October historically is one of the worst wildfire months in California, with the driest conditions, until winter rains arrive to greatly reduce fire risk.
Smoke levels in Yosemite Valley varied widely on Thursday .
At 1 p.m., an air monitor in Yosemite Village showed an air quality index of 151, right on the border between the level that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes as “unhealthy for sensitive groups” and “unhealthy” for all groups.
Several miles west, however, in the community of El Portal, just outside the park boundary and closer to where the fire is burning, the air quality level for particulate matter was 210, which the EPA classifies as “very unhealthy.”
In both places, air quality levels shifted through the day as winds and temperatures changed. On the Yosemite website, park officials stated: “Smoke may pose risk for older adults, children, and persons with pre-existing medical conditions. These individuals should limit time outdoors, avoid exertion, seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms.”
This 60-minute time lapse video recorded at the University of Nevada, Reno Nevada Seismological Laboratory on Oct. 7 shows the Briceburg Fire burning from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. CLICK HERE if you are having a problem viewing the photos or videos on a mobile device
Richards said, “I just took a walk and there is some haze in the air, but it’s really not very smoky in the valley right now.”
She added, “We had more smoke yesterday. It comes and goes.”
Highway 140 east of Mariposa remained closed for about 13 miles from Colorado Road near Midpines to Savage’s Trading Post, near El Portal.
Rural residents closest to the fire were under mandatory evacuation orders.
https://twitter.com/Photo1Prod/status/1181481333953945602
But hotels in the El Portal area, about 10 miles from the flames, remained open. Still, because of the highway closure, visitors were having to drive circuitous routes from other major roads which are open, such as Highway 120 through Groveland or Highway 41 through Oakhurst, into the park and then back out again to get to El Portal. Highway 140 remained open from Yosemite’s Arch Rock entrance to El Portal.
Fritz said residents of Mariposa County are particularly alert to wildfires, after the Ferguson fire last year.
“We accept things as they come,” he said. “But we’re anxious to have the highway open and get things back to normal. We’re hoping and praying the fire will be out soon.”
On Thursday, fire crews had 113 engines, nine helicopters and 37 bulldozers on the Briceburg fire. There were no injuries, and only one structure had burned.
“This is completely different from the Ferguson fire,” Richards said. “There is smoke in the park, but it’s not like the Ferguson Fire. You can still see Half Dome. You can still enjoy your hike.”
Park officials urged residents to check road conditions before visiting, and to visit the park website at https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm to get the latest on alerts and other issues.
“With some of the most destructive and deadliest fires occurring October through December, we need Californians to not be complacent,” said Chief Thom Porter, CalFire’s director, on Monday. “We have increased our staffing, but need the public to remain vigilant.”
