The Rim Fire, burning up in the Sierra Nevadas south of Reno, is now the fourth largest wildfire burning in the nation, clocking in at 64,000 acres. It is only 1% contained.
It grew by about 10,000 acres in the last day, making it the fastest growing wildfire in the country, and it's creeping toward the Hech Hetchy Reservoir, prompting a state of emergency to be declared for San Francisco and its water and power supply. The community of Pine Mountain Lake, as well as three family camps owned by the cities of San Francisco, Berkeley, and San Jose, are also threatened and have been evacuated. The camp beloved to many Berkeley natives who grew up going there, the Tuolomne Family Camp, closed earlier this week, and Oakland firefighter James Whitty, who grew up going there and recently had to evacuate his own family, says that it is defensible because it's surrounded by a parking lot and a lake.
A group of senior citizens staying at San Francisco's Camp Mather for Senior Week were also evacuated this week, as were families staying at San Jose's Camp Hi-Sierra.
Yosemite remains open to tourists and campers, however you can't take Highway 120 to get there. You will instead need to take the southern routes via Highway 99 to 140, or via Highways 49 and 41, through Oakhurst.
