Firefighters gain ground on Oak Fire, the biggest blaze of the year in California
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On the outskirts of California's Yosemite National Park, firefighters have been working to contain the destructive Oak Fire as it continues to grow, consuming more than 18,000 acres as of the latest report from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The fire now stands as the largest of 2022 in the state.
The blaze, which ignited on Friday, was reportedly 26% contained as of early Tuesday morning after raging uncontrolled over the weekend. In Mariposa County, approximately 75 miles north of Fresno and 150 miles southeast of Sacramento, the fire forced more than 3,000 residents to flee their homes. Thus far, at least 55 structures have been lost to the flames, according to Cal Fire.
Due to the worsening situation, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Mariposa County Saturday, with Newsom's office stating that California was handed a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to gain fire-suppressing resources.
Eerie video from ground zero of the blaze showed burned houses and torched cars in what looked like an apocalyptic wasteland as orange-gray wildfire smoke filled the sky.
Smoke from the fire has spread across the state, with satellite imagery showing large plumes of smoke drifting to the northwest.
Near Midpines, California, the air quality has fallen to dangerous levels, meaning that all outdoor activities should be avoided when possible. Dangerous smoke conditions have also been reported in Fresno where smoke conditions may also be hazardous, especially to high risk groups.
Air pollution from wildfires releases large amounts of particulate matter (PMs) and more volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazards that are capable of remaining active over long periods of time in the atmosphere as they travel. Smoke from wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and California has carried all the way over to the East Coast as recently as 2021.
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About 2,000 firefighters are battling the Oak Fire, but the rough terrain, high temperatures and low humidity are making firefighting extremely difficult. Four helicopters have also been called in to support the firefighting effort.
"It's hot out there again today," Cal Fire, spokesperson Natasha Fouts said Sunday. "And the fuel moisture levels are critically low."
Mariposa County resident Nick Smith told CNN that his childhood home had burned down in the fire. Thankfully, his parents were able to evacuate in time -- and with their horses in tow.
"They lived in their home for over 37 years, and now have lost everything," Smith wrote on a GoFundMe created to support his family. "Thirty-seven years of memories, generations of family treasures and countless more sentimental things. Although these are materials, it is devastating to lose everything literally in the blink of an eye without notice."
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The fight against the fire, which has scorched more than 20 square miles, has been hampered by drought conditions in the area and across the state of California. Per the U.S. Drought Monitor, over 90% of Mariposa County falls under exceptional drought, the highest possible category, while nearly 100% falls under extreme drought.
This fire is the second to impact the Yosemite area in recent weeks. The Washburn Fire, currently the second-largest in the state, at one point threatened the park's famous giant sequoia trees. As of Monday morning, no named trees burned down in that blaze.
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