Forest Service to allow logging of burned trees near Yosemite National Park

SACRAMENTO Calif. (Reuters) - The U.S. Forest Service said on Wednesday it would sell thousands of trees burned in last year's devastating wildfire around Yosemite National Park to loggers in an effort to reduce fuel for future blazes and stimulate the regional economy. In a draft decision, the agency said it planned to allow logging on about 33,000 acres near the park, less than initially proposed but more than environmentalists wanted. Under the plan, which is expected to be finalized next month, logging companies would remove hazardous trees in danger of falling on roads or people from about 17,000 acres in the Sanislaus National Forest, and other trees salvageable for lumber from about 15,000 acres. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Peter Cooney)