Firefighters slow growth of California blaze near Yosemite

By NOAH BERGER and CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Associated Press

JERSEYDALE, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters have significantly slowed the spread of a smoky wildfire burning near Yosemite National Park that has destroyed 55 homes and other buildings. But thousands of residents of remote California mountain communities are still under evacuation orders. An incident report Sunday night says crews made good headway against the Oak Fire. More than 2,500 firefighters are battling the blaze and contending with steep terrain and hot weather. Smoke from the fire has reached the San Francisco Bay Area and Nevada. Officials say there was explosive fire behavior on Saturday with flames running through bone-dry vegetation caused by the worst drought in decades. The blaze by Monday morning had consumed more than 26 square miles of forest.