"Massive Rim Fire Continues To Reshape Lives And Topography"

"The blaze, now 134,000 acres, pushes into Yosemite National Park. Each day, what it does depends on the wind."



"GROVELAND, Calif. — On Day 9, the sweeping Rim fire reshaped lives and topography from pristine wilderness areas to a famed national park to mountain communities that could be in the direct line of fire, depending at any moment on which way the wind blew.

In Groveland, Abby Esteres nervously puffed on a cigarette Sunday morning after her first night back in her Pine Lake Mountain home.

'I haven't been able to eat not knowing if our house burned down or not,' said the 27-year-old housekeeper, who went through a week of evacuation. 'They're still not saying we're in the clear. But it's better. I ate breakfast for the first time in days.'

Near Tuolumne City, firefighters dug trenches, cleared brush, laid heavy water hoses and started backfires to try to divert the blaze around the town as they had in Groveland. Flames were visible from some roofs. A base camp in the area could see 2,500 firefighters by Tuesday if the winds continue to push from the southwest, said a fire official."

Diana Marcum and Samantha Schaefer report for the Los Angeles Times August 25, 2013.

SEE ALSO:

"Wildfire Enters Yosemite, Threatens San Francisco Water, Power" (Reuters)

"Yosemite Fire Costs San Francisco Power as Water Unharmed" (Bloomberg)

"Yosemite Fire 2013: State Of Emergency Declared For San Francisco By Gov. Jerry Brown" (AP)

"San Francisco Emergency Called as Rim Fire Burns Power Lines" (ENS)
 

Source: LA Times, 08/26/2013