Oak fire near Yosemite grows to 19,000 acres, but firefighters are gaining upper hand

Slow growth continued on the Oak fire near Yosemite National Park on Thursday, with the blaze reaching 19,191 acres by nightfall as firefighters appeared to be gaining an upper hand.

The fire grew by a little more than 400 acres from the day before, officials said Thursday. It was the smallest daily growth so far for the Oak fire, which has been burning for six days, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection information officer David Clark.

Containment on the blaze rose to 42%, Cal Fire officials said Thursday night.

“Today was hotter and drier as expected, but cloud cover in the area prevented further drying and heating of fuels,� Cal Fire said. “Monsoonal moisture is expected to return early next week, which should lower temperature and raise humidity levels.�

The slowdown is a stark contrast to the fire’s first 24 hours, which saw explosive growth and extreme conditions turn the wildfire into California’s largest of the season so far.

Most of the fire activity overnight from Wednesday to Thursday occurred on the northeastern perimeter of the fire.

California

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As the sun rose over the Sierra Nevada foothills, it appeared burnt orange through hazy skies in Mariposa County.

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“It’s growing in a very casual and gradual way,� Clark said of the fire. “We do have crews in place to mitigate any hot spots. Overall, we are expecting to see containment of the fire to increase and behaviors to stay the same.�

A total of 3,758 personnel are battling the fire, which has destroyed 135 structures and damaged 10 others, officials said. Nearly 700 structures remain threatened.

“We have a very inaccessible, steep, rocky terrain that the fire is growing in, and we’re having helicopters fly in,� Clark said. “We have to get crews there.�

An air quality advisory has been extended through Thursday for communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Winds are expected to continue pushing smoke from the fire site into the Bay Area, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.

“The smoke is expected to remain aloft but may cause hazy skies across the Bay. Good to moderate air quality is forecast through the week,� the air district said.

California

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As authorities began lifting evacuation orders, some Oak fire residents were learning whether they had homes to return to.

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The air quality index in Mariposa County remained moderate Thursday evening. Elderly people and those with health issues are advised to stay indoors.

The Oak fire began Friday afternoon near Midpines, marking the start of the state’s peak wildfire season. The fire quickly exploded in size, causing Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency for Mariposa County on Saturday.

A community meeting was scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at Mariposa County High School. Mariposa Elementary School is serving as a Red Cross evacuation center.