FRESNO, Calif. – A wildfire raging along the northwest edge of Yosemite National Park is gaining strength Saturday morning as firefighters scramble to protect nearby mountain communities.
The fire held steady overnight at nearly 200 square miles, but a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says firefighters didn't get their usual reprieve from cooler early morning temperatures Saturday.
The Rim Fire started in a remote canyon of the Stanislaus National Forest a week ago and is just 5 percent contained. More than 5,500 homes are threatened and four have been destroyed.
Dry fuel and hot weather have combined to make this the 16th largest fire in California's history. More than 2,600 firefighters and a half dozen aircraft are battling the blaze.
The park remains open, but Highway 120 is closed.
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