Blaze near Yosemite

Two helicopters prepare to dump water and flame retardant on a hillside along the Merced River in Briceburg, about 10 miles from the Yosemite Park border. The fire began Saturday and has burned at least 42,000 acres so far.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Tony Teague of the Escondido City Fire Department turns away from a flare-up in Midpines, about 25 miles from Yosemite.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

A bathtub remains standing in the ruins of a burned house in Briceburg, Calif. Little relief from hot weather is expected this week as crews fight to contain a wildfire near Yosemite National Park that has destroyed 25 homes so far and burned 29,600 acres.  (Gary Kazanjian / Associated Press)

Uncontrolled flames roll over a hillside on the Telegraph Fire near Briceburg as the fire nears the west entrance to Yosemite National Park. The fire, which began on Saturday, has burned 29,600 acres.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

A helicopter loads water from the Merced River while making water drops on the Telegraph fire outside of Mariposa, Calif.  (Ron Lewis / Associated Press)

Horses on Jenkins Ranch off Bull Creek Road are oblivious to a smoke plume from the Telegraph Fire in Greeley Hill, Calif. In the last few days more than 29,600 acres in the region have been charred and many homes in the town of Midpines have been evacuated.  (Al Golub / Getty Images)

Firefighters keep an eye on the Telegraph fire outside of Mariposa.  (Ron Lewis / Associated Press)

Local residents watch flames of the Telegraph fire as it burns near Midpines, Calif., along the Merced River about 20 miles west of a Yosemite National Park entrance.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

A layer of smoke is visible to visitors at Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. The Telegraph fire, burning 12 miles west of the park entrance, has charred 26,000 acres and destroyed at least 12 homes.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

People stand on a bridge overlooking Lower Yosemite Falls with a layer of smoke covering the Yosemite Valley. The smoke is from a fire 12 miles west of the park entrance.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Using a scarf as a filter against smoke in the air, a hiker takes a rest while climbing over riverbed rocks at the base of Lower Yosemite Falls.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Tony Gorham and his sons, Tony junior, center, and Nate, wave to friends passing by as fires burn across the Briceburg Mountains near Yosemite National Park. Many firefighters were in the area to make sure fires didn’t spread across roads.  (Gary Kazanjian / Associated Press)

Fire approaches the Sierra Nevada town of Mariposa near Yosemite. Known as the Telegraph fire, the blaze has burned 28 square miles in the region.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Lynette Jackson, who works at Yosemite National Park, watches the flames from the Telegraph fire in the mountain town of Midpines.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

A helicopter drops fire retardant on the flames as the blaze approaches Mariposa.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Michael Frye, a professional photographer who lives near Yosemite, and an unidentified woman prepare to take a photograph of the wildfire.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

Firefighters and tourists watch the flames at Midpines.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)

A helicopter heads out to drop water on the Telegraph Fire near Briceburg, California, as the fire nears the west entrance to Yosemite National Park.  (Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times)