UPDATE: The Oak Fire, near Yosemite, has scorched more than 18,000 acres of forestland, destroying at least 25 homes and 16 other structures, with containment now at 26%, Cal Fire says.
Firefighters working in steep terrain on the ground protected homes Sunday as air tankers dropped retardant on 50-foot flames racing along ridgetops east of the tiny community of Jerseydale. Personnel face tough conditions that include steep terrain, sweltering temperatures and low humidity, Cal Fire said.
“Hazy skies may be visible and the smell of smoke is possible at high elevations,” the Bay Area Air District said on Thousands are evacuated due to a wildfire outside Yosemite and more are being told they could be asked to leave soon. Beth Pratt has lived in the neighboring Midpines for more than 25 years and provides the latest.
“It just seemed like it was above our house and coming our way really quickly,” Reynolds-Brown told KCRA-TV.Flames destroyed at least 10 residential and commercial structures and damaged five others, Cal Fire said. Assessment teams were moving through mountain towns to check for additional damage, Fouts said.
California has experienced increasingly larger and deadlier wildfires in recent years as climate change has made the West much warmer and drier over the past 30 years. Scientists have said weather will continue to be more extreme and wildfires more frequent, destructive and unpredictable.
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