A fast-moving brush fire near Yosemite National Park has exploded in size into one of California's largest wildfires of the year, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of people and shutting off power to more than 2,000 homes and businesses.
The Oak Fire started Friday afternoon southwest of the park near the town of Midpines in Mariposa County, and by Sunday morning had grown to 14,281 acres with no containment,..
Evacuation orders were put in effect Saturday for over 6,000 people living across a several-mile span in the sparsely populated, rural area, said Daniel Patterson, a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest.
More than 400 firefighters were battling the blaze, along with helicopters, other aircraft and bulldozers, facing tough conditions that included hot weather, low humidity and bone-dry vegetation caused by the worst drought in decades, Patterson said.
"Explosive fire behavior is challenging firefighters," Cal Fire said in a statement Saturday that described the Oak Fire's activity as "extreme with frequent runs, spot fires and group torching."...MORE
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