YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park has announced that areas previously closed due to the Rim Fire are now open to the public. This includes the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias and hiking trails in the Hetch Hetchy area.
Visitors traveling in the areas impacted by last year’s Rim Fire should be aware of potential risks including hazardous trees, uneven ground, potential rockfall, and down and dead debris on trails.
Fire restrictions put in place last summer and fall have also been rescinded. Officials warn, however, it is possible that restrictions may be needed later this year due to the extreme drought conditions found in California.
The Rim Fire, which started on Aug. 17, 2013 in Stanislaus National Forest, burned approximately 255,000 acres, with approximately 77,000 acres within Yosemite National Park. The affected areas have been closed to the public since the start of the fire.
For a detailed closure area and a map of all affected areas, please visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/rimfire.htm.
