A house burns as the Oak Flame moves through the area on July 23, 2022 near Mariposa, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | beautiful pictures
A fast-moving wildfire near Yosemite National Park broke out Friday afternoon and forced residents to evacuate even as firefighters battled an earlier blaze that consumed the edge of a grove. giant tree.
The Oak Fire started around 2 p.m. southwest of the park near Midpines in Mariposa County and quickly spread to 1,600 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
No buildings were burned, but the Lushmeadows subdivision, which has about 1,700 residents, and several roads in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada were ordered to evacuate.
There was no immediate word on what sparked the fire.
A California firefighter lights a counterfire while battling the Oak Fire on July 23, 2022 near Mariposa, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | beautiful pictures
Meanwhile, firefighters have made significant progress fighting a wildfire that started in Yosemite National Park and consumed the Sierra National Forest.
The Washburn Fire was 79% contained on Friday after burning about 7.5 square miles of forest.
Fire broke out on 7/7 and forcibly closed the south entrance to Yosemite and evacuated the community of Wawona as it burned on the edge of the Mariposa Grovehome to hundreds of giant dragons.
Wawona Road is expected to reopen on Saturday, according to the park’s website.
