Yosemite National Park Issues Closures As Ferguson Fire Rages On

YOSEMITE, CA -- Park officials announced Tuesday it will close areas of the popular Yosemite National Park as the Ferguson Fire continues to burn 12 days after it first erupted. The closures come as 1,000 park reservations have been canceled due to hazardous levels of smoke in the area.

Beginning noon Wednesday, Yosemite Valley and Wawona will be closed. These closures include all hotels, campgrounds, and visitor services in the area, officials said.

Park visitors currently staying in park campgrounds and lodging facilities are asked to be out of these areas by noon Wednesday. The temporary closure is expected to last until Sunday.

The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the Glacier Point Road, Bridalveil Creek Campground, the Wawona Campground and the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias are also closed, officials said.

The fire erupted July 13 in the the Sierra National Forest and was 25 percent contained as of Tuesday.

More than 3,000 personnel including 194 engines, 45 water tenders, 16 helicopters, 91 crews, and 52 dozers are currently battling the blaze that has so far killed one person and injured six others.

For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, call 209-372-0200 or go to the park’s website at www.nps.gov/yose.

--Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone

#FergusonFire is having a substantial impact on air quality in Yosemite. See smoke outlook each day at https://t.co/2aga9LwviK and limit activities based on the Air Quality Index: https://t.co/N3xSFo3ezC pic.twitter.com/W84NAza10k
— Yosemite National Park (@YosemiteNPS) July 24, 2018