Smoke from wildfire fills Yosemite Valley as officials urge people to 'get out'

Show Caption Hide Caption Wildfire burning in far northern California A wildfire is burning in northern California. Cal Fire says the fire in Shasta County has burned at least 1,500 acres. At least two roads were closed and some evacuations were ordered. (July 24)

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — Tourists, residents and some park employees were asked to leave Tuesday as heavy smoke settled into Yosemite National Park.

Officials announced they will close California 41 before Tunnel View, the road that goes north from Fresno into the heart of the park, at the height of summer tourist season.

Yosemite Superintendent Mike Reynolds said he can count on one hand how many times the park has closed. He called the highway "main artery" into the park, certainly from Southern California.

But as the Ferguson Fire, which began the night of July 13, continues to spread across mountainsides near Yosemite National Park, concern is mounting among officials.

► July 23: 3,500 structures at risk as wildfire rages near Yosemite National Park

► July 22: Forest fires near Sequoia, Yosemite national parks grow

► July 18: Hot, dry weather hampers crews battling wildfire near Yosemite

The closure will be between Tunnel View and Chilnualna Falls and will last until Sunday. California 120 will remain open unless the fire pushes more closures.

"That is a crazy thing to manage with 2,000 people here right now," Reynolds said during a public meeting Tuesday morning. "Highway 41 is going to become a very dangerous place."

Tourists can stay overnight but need get out by Wednesday afternoon, he said.

On Tuesday morning, visitors Brad Lyons and Courtney Richard stopped for photos at Tunnel View, the spot where park visitors typically can take in Yosemite Valley and its famous landmarks, including El Capitan and Half Dome.

The pair had traveled from St. Louis and Tulsa to visit the park for the first time, they said.

► July 17: Ferguson Fire roars near Yosemite; some residents ordered to evacuate

► July 16: Yosemite wildfire doubles in size, could 'become a major threat'

As they stood at the edge of Tunnel View, they could hardly make out the far reaching mountains, which they said eerily resembled ghost ships in the distance. What was going to be a three-day visit quickly turned into two as Yosemite Valley filled with smoke and ash.

“When we saw that the visitor’s center was closed, we knew it had to be bad,” Lyons said. “(Park rangers) told us the air quality inside (the center) was just as bad as outside.”

The fire, which started near California 140 east of El Portal, California, has been burning in the Sierra National Forest, causing heavy smoke to fill the park.

Much of the fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain with little to no access roads, firefighters said. Crews from across the USA are helping local firefighters battle the blaze, which has scorched 57 square miles, an area larger than the city of San Francisco.

Mandatory and advisory evacuations are in place in several areas, but no homes have been damaged or destroyed.

Once tourists are evacuated from the park, officials will decide whether employees also should leave.

Firefighters have contained about 25 percent of the blaze.

Follow Calley Cederlof and Sheyanne N. Romero on Twitter: @calleyc_vtd and @Sheyanne_VTD

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