YOSEMITE VALLEY, Calif. — Yosemite National Park visitors will be prohibited from having campfires in some areas of the park starting Saturday to reduce the threat of sparking new wildfires at Yosemite, where firefighters have been battling a blaze since last week, officials said.
Visitors won't be allowed to start campfires, cooking fires, and/or charcoal fires in areas that are below 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) in elevation unless they are in campgrounds accessible by car or in picnic areas in developed portions of the park, the National Park Service said in a statement Friday.
It said smoking is also prohibited in areas below 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) except inside an enclosed vehicle, a campground or picnic area where fires are specifically allowed, in a designated smoking area, or while in an area that is barren or has been cleared of all flammable material.
Officials said visitors will be allowed to start fires in areas above 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) elevation but not above 9,600 feet (2,900 meters) elevation.
The human-caused Washburn Fire broke out last week next to the park’s Washburn Trail and had grown to 7.3 square miles (18.9 square kilometers) and 27% containment Friday. How the blaze started remains under investigation.
Farther north, the Peter Fire in Shasta County south of Redding remained at 304 acres (123 hectares) but containment jumped to 34% Friday, up from 25%.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the fire erupted shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday and destroyed 12 structures before its forward progress was stopped.
The Redding Record Searchlight newspaper reported that at least three of the structures were homes.
Fire Map
This wildfire map was created using data from NASA, NGA, USGS and FEMA.
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, the 2021 fire season started earlier than previous years, but also ended earlier, as well. January 2021 saw just under 1,200 acres burned from nearly 300 wildfires. Fires picked up in the summer when the Dixie Fire burned in five Northern California counties — Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama. The Dixie Fire started on July 13 and wasn't contained until Oct. 25, burning nearly 1 million acres. It has since become the second-largest wildfire in state history and the largest non-complex fire.
Overall, 2.5 million acres were burned in 2021 from 8,835 wildfires. Over 3,600 structures were destroyed and 3 people were killed.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, and supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and knowing your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
What questions do you have about the latest wildfires? If you're impacted by the wildfires, what would you like to know? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310.
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