Touchstone Blog Archive
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Yosemite Fires Update
Firefighters in Yosemite National Park have made significant progress towards containing the the wildfire that began as a prescribed burn and has destroyed over 7,000 acres. With an estimated containment rate of 70%, NPS anticipates the blaze to be fully contained by Thursday, September 10. Currently, Highway 120 from Crane Flat to White Wolf is closed and Big Oak Flat is also closed. Tuolumne Meadows is only accessible from the east gate and Yosemite Valley is only accessible through the Highway 140 and 41 entrances. All road closures will remain in affect through Labor Day weekend.
The fires have caused a significant amount of smoke in the Valley.
View from Ahwahanee Meadow
View from Turtleback Dome
Find further updates on the fire here.
The fires have caused a significant amount of smoke in the Valley.
View from Ahwahanee Meadow
View from Turtleback Dome
Find further updates on the fire here.
Labels: Yosemite Fires, Yosemite National Park
¶ Thursday, September 03, 2009 0 Comments
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Yosemite Rockfall and Fires
Around noon on Wednesday, a major rock slide came off from the Royal Arches area of Yosemite National Park. The falling rocks, some of which reached microwave oven sizes, tumbled down and neared the Awahnee hotel. There were no injuries but the hotel was evacuated as a precaution and will remain empty until Friday. It is unknown what, if any, climbing routes the rock fall affected.
Dust from the afternoon rockfall obscured the view of Half Dome
The faint red line shows where the rockfall likely came from.
The Modest Bee wrote a brief story on the slide as did The New York Times
Also, Highway 120 into Yosemite Valley is currently closed due to a prescribed fire that escaped. The Big Oak Flat Road is closed from Highway 140 to Crane Flat and the Foresta road into the community of Foresta. There is no estimated time for the road to re-open. Highway 120 from Big Oak Flat entrance station is open to Crane Flat, on to Tuolumne Meadows, and Highway 395. Park firefighters are working hard to contain the blaze which has burned approximately 1,170 acres.
For more information check out NPS webpage regarding the fire.
Dust from the afternoon rockfall obscured the view of Half Dome
The faint red line shows where the rockfall likely came from.
The Modest Bee wrote a brief story on the slide as did The New York Times
Also, Highway 120 into Yosemite Valley is currently closed due to a prescribed fire that escaped. The Big Oak Flat Road is closed from Highway 140 to Crane Flat and the Foresta road into the community of Foresta. There is no estimated time for the road to re-open. Highway 120 from Big Oak Flat entrance station is open to Crane Flat, on to Tuolumne Meadows, and Highway 395. Park firefighters are working hard to contain the blaze which has burned approximately 1,170 acres.
For more information check out NPS webpage regarding the fire.
Labels: NPS, Rockfall, Yosemite Fires
¶ Thursday, August 27, 2009 0 Comments
