The Dome Fire blazes in Yosemite National Park, over a week since it first sprouted on Sept. 15. Where does the fire stand?
The fire started around 8:28 a.m. near the Wawona Dome in a remote part of the national park, USA TODAY reported. The fire proved to be difficult for firefighters to tackle as the terrain proved an obstacle for crews to tackle the fire.
On Sept. 20, two helicopter pilots diedafter their helicopter crashed while battling the blaze, USA TODAY previously reported. The two were identified as Greg King of Palmer, Alaska, and Ryan Cutter of Park City, Utah.
They were part of Oregon-based helicopter contractor Precision.
With firefighting difficulties, where does the fire stand as of Sept. 24?
How many acres has the Dome Fire burned?
The fire has nearly quadrupled in a week,
reaching 4,030 acres burned compared to 1,177.1 acres on Sept. 17, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CalFire.
Has the Dome Fire been contained?
The Dome Fire sat at 15% containment as of 7 a.m. on Sept. 24, according to CalFire.
Dome Fire evacuations
As of Sept. 24, no evacuation orders or warnings had been issued because of the Dome Fire.
The National Park Service reported no immediate threats to infrastructure or developed areas. However, residents and visitors should continue monitoring official fire updates as conditions can change rapidly.
The fire is burning within a few miles of Wawona, a historic Yosemite community that includes lodging, cabins and the Yosemite History Center.
Dome Fire road closures and trail closures
The National Park Service announced that Glacier Point Road would close at 6 p.m. on Sept. 23 because of reduced visibility from smoke. Those already parked overnight at Glacier Point were allowed to exit once the closures began.
The Four Mile and Panorama trails, which provide access to Glacier Point, will remain open to hikers.
Dome Fire weather and fire conditions
Firefighters continue facing difficult conditions because the blaze is burning deep within Yosemite wilderness in rugged terrain with limited access.
Sept. 23 saw drier conditions with little to no cloud cover, with temperatures in the upper 60s and around 30% humidity. Winds were expected to shift to the southwest,according to the National Park Service.
What does containment mean?
Containment refers to how much of a wildfire's perimeter firefighters have surrounded with control lines.
A fire that is 15% contained means crews have established and secured containment lines around approximately 15% of the fire's perimeter. While the milestone indicates progress, most of the fire's edge remains uncontained and capable of spreading.
Containment does not mean a fire is extinguished, and a higher containment percentage does not necessarily mean all danger has passed. Fire managers continually update containment figures as crews construct, inspect and reinforce fire lines.
The Dome Fire is the latest wildfire to threaten the Yosemite area, where firefighters previously mounted a major response to the 2022 Washburn Fire near the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.
Officials continue to investigate the cause of the Dome Fire. Fire updates are available through Yosemite National Park, Cal Fire and InciWeb incident report.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dome Fire continues to burn. What to know about Yosemite fire
