Rim fire near Yosemite more than triples in size overnight
An out-of-control wildfire has now consumed nearly 54,000 acres -- or 25 square miles -- in the Stanislaus National Forest near Yosemite National Park after tripling in size overnight, according to an official report Thursday.
The Rim fire, which had last been reported at roughly 16,000 acres Wednesday night, has been raging through rugged, inaccessible terrain since Saturday. In an incident update posted online Thursday morning, officials also reported that containment was at 2%, down from 5% the day before.
The blaze has destroyed two homes, threatened 2,500 more and forced evacuations from several vacation communities.
As of Wednesday night an evacuation advisory was in effect for Pine Mountain Lake, while communities along Ferretti Road from California 120 to Clements Road, and from California 120 at the Yosemite boundary to Smith Station, have been evacuated.
Ferretti Road was closed, as was a stretch of the highway, cutting off westbound traffic out of the park.
More than 1,300 firefighters are now battling the blaze. Officials reported that they expect the fire to spread northeast over the course of the day.
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Twitter: @jillcowan
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