Fire threatens 2 000 homes
2008-07-28 07:23
San Francisco - About 2 000 homes were
at risk from an erratic and fast-moving wildfire near Yosemite
National Park that was raging across 6 475
hectares, a fire official said on Sunday.
"The fire's going in all directions," said Daniel Berlant,
information officer at the California Department for Forestry
and Fire Prevention. "There are reports of flame lengths over
30 metres."
Between 170 and 200 homes in Midpines, a town neighbouring
the park in central
California, were under mandatory evacuation orders, Berlant
said.
The fire is not affecting the park itself, but power supply
to Yosemite Valley, an area that includes popular sightseeing
spots like El Capitan, has been cut off, said Julie Chavez, a
Yosemite media relations officer.
The fire, which began on Friday afternoon, was caused by a
spark from a person shooting at targets, Berlant said.
The fire was fuelled by dry timber that has not burned for
100 years, he said. "There's a lot of fuel for the fire to burn."
There are about 1 000 firefighters currently battling the
blaze, and "hundreds of others" are coming from all over the
state, Berlant said.
One of the biggest challenges to controlling the fire is
the steep, rugged terrain that makes access difficult, Berlant
said.