Yosemite wildfire continues to grow, but so does containment

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A wildfire burns next to Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. (Michael Frye / Associated Press)

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Hikers are evacuated from Yosemite National Park. (Rachel Kirk / Associated Press)

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Smoke from a fire rises above Little Yosemite Valley near Yosemite National Park. (Rachel Kirk / Associated Press)

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Several water-dropping helicopters and airplanes were assisting hundreds of firefighters on the ground as the Meadow fire burns near Half Dome peak and Merced Lake. (Rachel Kirk / Associated Press)

By Joseph Serna

Sept. 10, 2014 9:15 AM PT

Bit by bit, firefighters are making progress on a wildfire in Yosemite National Park that has shut down access to it’s famous Half Dome peak.

The Meadow fire had burned 4,532 acres as of Wednesday morning and was 10% contained, officials said.

The blaze is believed to have been ignited last month amid hundreds of lightning strikes that hit the area. Up until last weekend, the fire had crawled across the landscape, burning just 20 acres. But a burst of strong winds on Sunday pumped new life into the fire and transformed it into a fast-moving blaze that stranded nearly 100 hikers atop Half Dome. With exit routes cut off by the blaze, dozens of hikers had to be evacuated from the 8,800-foot peak by helicopter.

In addition to trails near Half Dome, those in Little Yosemite Valley, Merced Lake, the Sunrise High Sierra camps, Clouds Rest and Echo Valley also remained closed.

There have been no reported injuries.

While smoke from the fire has dramatically worsened air quality in some areas, it’s also made for some captivating aerial images.

A NASA satellite view of the park shows a massive tower of smoke billowing up and fanning out from the fire Sunday as it raged out of control.

Smoke can be seen drifting into Yosemite Valley, just five miles east of the park.

For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna.