York wildfire still blazing, threatening Joshua trees in Mojave Desert

Firefighters continue to battle the York wildfire in California and Nevada, which grew to more than 80,000 acres Tuesday and is threatening the region's famous Joshua trees and other wildlife.

The fire became California's largest wildfire of 2023 after starting Friday in the state's New York mountains in the Mojave National Preserve.

An unusually wet winter in California increased the likelihood of wildfires this summer, according to the United States Forest Service. Powerful winds from rainstorms this summer also could have caused the fire to "spread more rapidly and unpredictably," the Mojave National Park Service said Tuesday.

When the fire first began, the windy conditions, combined with dry weather, made the York fire unusually difficult to control, the forest service said. Crews battling the fire have seen flames rising 20 feet into the air, according to the air quality tracking site IQAir.

On Tuesday, heavy rain fell on some parts of the wildfire, calming the blazes a bit, the forest service said. There are no evacuations in place yet, authorities said.

The fire started on private land located within the Mojave National Preserve, the preserve said on its Facebook page. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

California's wet rainy season made wildfires more likely

More rain in California earlier this year meant more vegetation growth, which set up the possibility of an active wildfire season in the state.

Most of Southern California, where the York wildfire is burning, has received more than 100% of what is considered normal for the region's rainfall season, National Weather Service data shows.

York fire biggest of wildfire season

The York fire is raging in California's San Bernardino County and Nevada's Clark County, and has burned a total of 80,437 acres, California's department of forestry and fire protection said.

As of Tuesday, the York fire was 23% contained, park officials said.

In July, the Rabbit Fire burned more than 8,000 acres in Riverside, California, and has since been completely contained.

Invasive grasses likely spread York fire faster, officials say

Besides a wet winter, more invasive plant species in the Mojave National Preserve are making wildfires more likely there, the forrest service says.

"Increasing levels" of invasive grasses, like red brome and invasive mustards, are expanding across the desert and making wildfires spread more quickly, according to the forest service and the Mojave National Preserve.

"This is a departure from historic norms, as Joshua trees and other desert adapted plants have limited natural defenses or propagation techniques when fires occur around them," the forest service said.

York fire threatens rare wildlife in Mojave National Preserve

Extreme heat in the Mojave National Preserve in recent years already has taken a toll on the region's iconic Joshua trees, making it harder for them to reproduce, the preserve said on its website.

The enormous York wildfire will contribute to the problem.

"If an area with Joshua trees burns through, most will not survive and reproduction in that area is made more difficult," the National Park Service says on its website. "Wildfires could also result in the loss of irreplaceable resources in the park, like historic structures and cultural artifacts."

Desert tortoises, a federally threatened species, also live in the area where the York fire is burning. This week, the Mojave National Preserve said firefighters battling the fire were taking care not to disturb the animals' underground burrows.

"They will be on the lookout for desert tortoises, making sure to avoid burrows and active individuals," the preserve said on its Facebook page.

Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Desert Sun

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: York fire in California blazes toward Joshua trees in Mojave Desert