Wildfires

Wildfires in California. USA

The wildfire in Stanislaus National Forest in the US continued to expand, growing to 164 sq miles (424 sq km) by Friday morning. The Governor of California declared a state of emergency and the fire has forced thousands of residents and tourists to flee.

More than 2,000 firefighters have been tackling the blaze, known as the Rim Fire, which has encroached into Yosemite National Park, one of the most popular tourist attractions in California.

After burning for nearly a week on the edges of Yosemite, the massive wildfire has now crossed into it, and firefighters have barely begun to contain it.

The governor issued a declaration of emergency late Friday for San Francisco 150 miles away because of the threat the fire posed to utility transmission to the city, and the fire caused smoke warnings and event cancellations in Nevada as smoke blew over the Sierra Nevada and across state lines. Health district officials raised an air quality alert to the "red" unhealthy level, Friday afternoon in Reno, Nevada.

Yosemite stopped issuing backcountry permits to backpackers and had warned those who already had them to stay out of the area.