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Crews to set backfires in Yosemite to contain Ferguson Fire, two more firefighters injured

ByJason Oliveira and Ricky Courtney KFSN logo

Thursday, August 2, 2018

MARIPOSA COUNTY (KFSN) -- Slowly fire crews are making progress towards stopping the Ferguson Fire burning in the area of Yosemite National Park.

The fire has grown to 62,883 acres and is now 39-percent contained.

On Tuesday we learned that two more firefighters have been injured, but details on the extent of the injuries were not immediately available. The first injury was reported between Monday night and Tuesday morning. The second injury was reported between Tuesday morning and Tuesday night.

A total of nine firefighters have been injured battling the Ferguson Fire, and two firefighters have died with the most recent loss just this past Sunday. Brian Hughes, 33, was killed when a tree fell on him.

Overnight, crews plan to set two backfires inside Yosemite National Park, which are expected to both remove potential fuel for the wildfire and expand containment. On the southern flank of the fire, crews will burn along Wawona Road (Highway 41) south towards the Wawona Campground. To the north, crews will burn to the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias.

While the backfires help firefighters contain the larger wildfire, they are generating more smoke, which has a negative impact on Central California's already poor air quality.

The poor air quality also led the National Park Service to announce Tuesday that parts of Yosemite National Park will remain closed until at least Sunday, August 5. Officials also announced that they had added the Hetch Hetchy Valley to the list of areas closed to the public.

Evacuation orders also remain in effect for Anderson Valley, El Portal Trailer Court, Foresta, Old El Portal, Old Yosemite Road, River Road, and Yosemite View Lodge.

Get the latest on wildfires burning across California here.

FIRE INFO

Road Closures:

Highway 41/Wawona Road is closed from the Yosemite Valley, through Wawona, to the park's south gate (residents allowed)
Highway 140 and Incline Road from Yosemite National Park to Midpines (residents allowed)
Big Oak Flat Road from the Highway 120 junction at Crane Flat to the Yosemite Valley
Anderson Valley Road
Foresta Road
Harris Road at Highway 49 South
Summit Road
Old Yosemite Road

Mandatory Evacuations:
These areas are currently under a mandatory evacuation: