Now, the absolute priority is to stop the fire spreading in the Yosemite National Park. The wildfire consumed at least 12,000 acres in the northwest section of the park but it had no direct impact on the Yosemite Valley, the most popular area for tourists. Many vacation homes and other structures, more than 4000, were under threat and some of them were destroyed. This affected communities of Groveland and Pine Mountain. An evacuation of the Tuolumne town and nearby Ponderosa Hill was ordered.
The fire almost hit the source of San Francisco’s pure drinking water from Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The city’s hydroelectric power was interrupted.
This wildfire was classified as the 14th largest fire in California’s history.
Despite this tragic environmental situation, people’s desire to visit the Yosemite National Park is still strong. As a consequence, during the last weekend the ranger’s program went on as normal. The Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman said in a comment: “if somebody cancels there are 10 people that will take their spot.” Yosemite Valley has hundreds of campground sites and lodging units.
