Oak Fire update: Fresno expecting smoke as wildfire near Yosemite burns more homes

Thaddeus Miller
·2 min read
4

The National Weather Service on Wednesday said the central San Joaquin Valley could see incoming smoke from the Oak Fire near Yosemite National Park.

Triple digits in Fresno and the Valley and potential thunderstorms in the Sierras would be secondary concerns, officials said.

An upper level ridge of air in the Sierra Nevada will cause a shift in wind direction and could push smoke from the wildfire into Fresno, Tulare and the eastern edge of Kings counties, forecasters say.

The wildfire on Wednesday morning was reported to have grown to 18,715 acres.

Smoke in the air could lead to slightly cooler temperatures than predicted as the clouds keep some of the radiation off the ground, the service says. The forecast predicts highs in the upper 90s for Fresno and the region.

“The afternoon thunderstorms over the Sierra Nevada crest will continue to persist until next week,” the service said Wednesday.

Purple Air, which tracks air quality, showed much of Fresno on Wednesday with satisfactory air quality.

Closer to the Oak Fire, Mariposa showed ratings in the worst and most dangerous categories.

Oak Fire burns homes

The number of homes destroyed in the Oak Fire doubled in 24 hours on Wednesday, Cal Fire said in the latest update.

The blaze has destroyed 49 homes, Cal Fire said, and 25 outbuildings. Another 1,138 are threatened by the fire that moved quickly after sparking on Friday.

“Firefighters worked overnight to increase containment lines around the fire perimeter,” Cal Fire said on Wednesday.

The blaze was 32% contained through 7 a.m. Wednesday, and grew 183 acres since the previous night’s update.

The National Interagency Fire Center’s nationwide situation report shows the estimated cost to fight the Oak Fire so far at $15.3 million.

There were 3,154 personnel working on the Oak Fire, in addition to 286 engines and two dozen helicopters.

No injuries have been reported. The cause is under investigation.

Highway 140 was reopened through Mariposa County to Yosemite National Park, the U.S. Forest Service said Tuesday.

Cal Fire asked drivers to be extra cautious on the highway as fire equipment may be on or near the roadway.

GoFundMe verifying Oak Fire fundraisers

GoFundMe established a centralized hub that will identify all verified fundraisers created to help those who have lost their businesses, homes, and have been displaced by the Oak Fire.

GoFundMe has a dedicated “Trust & Safety” team to review fundraisers related to the Oak Fire.

As new fundraisers are created and verified by the GoFundMe Trust & Safety team, the fundraisers will be added to the hub.

The purpose is to ensure all funds raised are safely transferred to the right place, GoFundMe said.

The hub can be found at gofundme.com/c/act/wildfire-relief/california/central.

FILE - An air tanker flies past flames while battling the Oak Fire in Mariposa County, Calif., Sunday, July 24, 2022. Wildfires, floods and soaring temperatures have made climate change real to many Americans. Yet a sizeable number continue to dismiss the scientific consensus that human activity is to blame. That’s in part because of a decades-long campaign by fossil fuel companies to muddy the facts and promote fringe explanations. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)
Firefighters mop up hot spots while battling the Oak Fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. They are part of Task Force Rattlesnake, a program comprised of Cal Fire and California National Guard firefighters. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighters mop up hot spots while battling the Oak Fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. They are part of Task Force Rattlesnake, a program comprised of Cal Fire and California National Guard firefighters. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighters Jerome Alton, right, and Sergio Porras wrap up an overnight shift battling the Oak Fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
Firefighters Jerome Alton, right, and Sergio Porras wrap up an overnight shift battling the Oak Fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)