YOSEMITE – Due to increased fire activity in the areas adjacent to and in Yosemite National Park, park administrators and fire managers have made the decision to extend the current park closures indefinitely.
Fire managers are continuously assessing conditions in the area and will work directly with, and immediately advise park managers as conditions change and it becomes safe to reopen.
Firefighters remain committed to fully suppressing this fire and are actively engaged, taking action to limit the fire’s spread when it is safe to do so, say park officials.
The fire activity inside Yosemite National Park is dynamic. Over the past 48 hours, fire has impacted all of the roads used to access Yosemite Valley, burning dead and downed trees that can become very explosive and fall without warning.
There are also significant terrain hazards for firefighters. These hazards, along with extreme fire behavior and frequent weather changes, have made this an extremely difficult fire fight.
There is active fire burning above the Arch Rock Entrance Station, moving up the Merced River Canyon towards West Yosemite Valley. There is active fire burning near Foresta and structure protection is currently in place. No structures have been lost in the communities of Foresta, El Portal, or Yosemite West.
Earlier this week, fire crossed the Wawona Road (Highway 41), following the Indian Creek drainage. This fire has crossed Glacier Point Road, forcing firefighters to shelter in place at Badger Pass.
The following areas remain closed: Yosemite Valley, El Portal Road, Wawona Road, Big Oak Flat Road, Glacier Point, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias, Wawona Campground, Crane Flat Campground, Tamarack Campground, and several other sections of the Park. Please visit www.nps.gov/yose for the most up to date information.
A large portion of Yosemite National Park remains open. Tioga Road from Tioga Pass to White Wolf is open to all visitors and vehicles. Most of the trails and campgrounds along this route, including the Tuolumne Meadows Campground are open. Visitor services along Tioga Road, including the High Sierra Camps and the Tuolumne Meadows Store are open.
The Gateway communities of Sonora, Groveland, Mariposa, Oakhurst, and Lee Vining are great places to recreate and offer a wide variety of opportunities. Please contact the local visitor centers to learn about recreational opportunities in the Gateway communities.
“Since the Ferguson Fire began on Friday, July 13, 2018 park visitors, employees, local businesses and communities have all been affected,” said park officials in a statement released today. “We realize this has been a difficult time for all involved. Yosemite National Park is committed to supporting our Gateway communities and we will continue to work closely with all of our stakeholders to work through this emergency.”
For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200, press 1 and press 1 again. Updated information is also available on the park’s website at www.nps.gov/yose and on the Yosemite National Park Facebook page.
For the latest information on the Ferguson Fire, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5927.
