A brand new wildfire exploded in Mariposa County, California on Friday and shortly unfold over the weekend. The injury attributable to what’s now being referred to as the Oak Fire has shut off power for about 2,000 houses and companies.

The flames have reactivated considerations for the protection of lots of of mature large sequoia timber in Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park. Earlier this month, the Washburn Fire got here dangerously near the grove, which is residence to enormous and historic timber, together with the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant.

Firefighters deployed the sprinkler system that was arrange on the base of the previous timber to guard them. After two weeks and hundreds of firefighters being deployed, the Washburn Fire was greater than 80% contained, USA Today reported. This time round, greater than 400 firefighters are battling the fast-rising blaze alongside bulldozers and helicopters. As of Monday morning, the Oak Fire is 10% contained, according to Cal Fire. 

The flames have been fueled by low humidity alongside particularly excessive temperatures and have already burned greater than 16,000 acres. This compelled hundreds of residents in rural communities to evacuate, CNN reported. California’s governor declared a state of emergency within the county, and several other houses have been destroyed by the fireplace. The Oak Fire is shortly changing into one of many largest blazes within the state of California this yr, based on CBS News.

A mix excessive warmth and a seemingly never-ending drought has helped gas intense fires all through the U.S. this yr. Thanks to these situations, the 2022 wildfire season has seen a number of record-breaking blazes. New Mexico not too long ago noticed the largest fireplace in its historical past, and in June, Alaska officers confirmed that over 1,000,000 acres of the state have been set ablaze by a number of fires.