Yosemite fire growing at alarming rateYosemite fire growing at alarming rate

A Northern California wildfire raging out of control on Friday grew to more than three-times the size of the city of San Francisco as it spread inside the border of Yosemite National Park.

The flames have also forced the evacuations of hundreds from homes.

A firefighter from the Cosumnes Fire Department monitors a back fire while battling the Rim Fire Aug. 22, 2013, in Groveland, Calif., outside of Yosemite National Park.

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California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant said Friday the blaze had grown from 99 square miles to more than 165 square miles and was only 2 percent contained.

Berlant said the fire threatens about 4,500 residences.

"Most of the fire activity is pushing to the east right into Yosemite," Berlant said.

While the park remains open, the blaze has caused the closure of a 4-mile stretch of State Route 120, one of three entrances into Yosemite on the west side. Yosemite can still be accessed via state Routes 140 and 41 from the west, as well as State Route 120 from the east side.

Within the park, the blaze is burning on about 17 square miles in a remote area around Lake Eleanor, about 4 miles northwest of Hetch Hetchy reservoir, Yosemite spokeswoman Kari Cobb said.

Backcountry permits are required to hike in that area, Cobb said, and the park is no longer issuing those and has contacted every person who had received a permit to go there. Two roads that lead into the area -- Hetch Hetchy Road and Eleanor Road -- have been closed. Hodgdon Meadow Campground, which is near the park's west entrance via Route 120 has also been closed, its campers relocated to other areas.

"We don't have anybody we know of in that area based on the permits we have out now," she said.

The fire is not threatening Yosemite Valley, she said. It's burning more than 20 miles from the Valley, where skies are "crystal clear" and there's no sign of smoke, Cobb said.

"Right now there are no closures and no visitor services are being affected in the park," Cobb said. "We just have to take one day at a time depending on fire activity."

Officials also have advised voluntary evacuations of more than a thousand other homes, several organized camps and at least two campgrounds in the area outside the park's boundary. More homes, businesses and hotels are threatened in nearby Groveland, a community of 600 about 5 miles from the fire and 25 miles from the entrance of Yosemite.

Dry brush, oak and pine have fueled the fire as investigators continue to examine how it all began.

Crews aided by the California National Guard worked in the air and on the ground creating fire lines to halt its progress.

"It's a monster," said Bentley. "It's beating us up right at the moment. We're fighting this fire very, very hard."

With lightning in the forecast for Friday, Janes reports, it remains an uphill battle.

Source: cbsnews.com