Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/158244
Saturday, August 24, 2013 – Daily News 7A Huge Calif. wildfire spreads into Yosemite FRESNO (AP) — A giant wildfire raging out of control spread into Yosemite National Park on Friday as authorities urged more evacuations in nearby communities where thousands have already been forced out by flames marching through the timbered slopes of the western Sierra Nevada. The fire hit the park at the height of summer season, as officials geared up for a busy Labor Day weekend. It has closed some backcountry hiking but was not threatening the Yosemite Valley region, one of California's most popular tourist destinations. The week-long blaze has spread to more than 165 square miles and was only 2 percent contained. It continued to grow in several directions, although ''most of the fire activity is pushing to the east right into Yosemite,'' said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The spectacular valley carved by glaciers offers visitors such iconic sights as the Half Dome and El Capitan rock formations and Bridalveil and Yosemite falls. Smoke blowing across the Sierra into the state of Nevada forced officials in several counties to cancel outdoor school activities and issue health advisories, especially for people with respiratory problems. Authorities urged more evacuations in nearby communities where thousands have already been forced out by flames. The fire was threatening about 4,500 residences, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Already, the blaze has destroyed four homes and 12 outbuildings in several different areas. More than 2,000 firefighters were on the lines and one sustained a heat-related injury. While the park remained open, the blaze closed a 4-mile stretch of State Route 120, one of three entrances into Yosemite on the west side. Two other western routes and an eastern route were open. Within the park, the blaze was burning on about 17 square miles in a remote area around Lake Eleanor, about 4 miles northwest of Hetch Hetchy reservoir, Yosemite spokeswoman Kari Cobb said. Backcountry permits are required to hike in that area, Cobb said. The park was no longer issuing those and had contacted every person who had AP photo Fire rages out of control in the Stanislaus National Forest Thursday. A wildfire outside Yosemite National Park nearly quadrupled in size Thursday, prompting officers to warn residents in a gated community to evacuate their homes and leading scores of tourists to leave the area during peak season. received a permit to go there. Two roads into that area were closed and occupants of a campground near the Route 120 west entrance were relocated. ''We don't have anybody we know of in that area based on the permits we have out now,'' she said. The fire was more than 20 miles from Yosemite Valley and skies there were ''crystal clear,'' Cobb said. ''Right now there are no closures, and no visitor services are being affected in the park,'' he said. ''We just have to take one day at a time depending on fire activity.'' Officials also have advised voluntary evacuations of more than a thousand other homes, several organized camps and at least two campgrounds in the area outside the park's boundary. On Friday, officials issued voluntary evacuation advisories for two new towns — Tuolumne City, population 1,800, and Ponderosa Hills, a community of several hundred — which are about five miles from the fire line, Forest Service spokesman Jerry Snyder said. A mandatory evacuation order remained in effect for part of Pine Mountain Lake, a summer gated community a few miles from the fire. ''It feels a little bit like a war zone, with helicopters flying overhead, bombers dropping retardant and 10 engine companies stationed on our street,'' said Ken Codeglia, a retired Pine Mountain Lake resident who decided to stay to protect his house with his own hoses and fire retardant system. ''But if the fire gets very hot and firefighters evacuate, I will run with them.'' More homes, businesses and hotels are threatened in nearby Groveland, a community of 600 about 5 miles from the fire and 25 miles from the entrance of Yosemite. Usually filled with tourists, the streets are now swarming with firefighters, evacuees, and news crews, said Doug Edwards, owner of Hotel Charlotte on Main Street. ''We usually book out six months solid with no vacancies and turn away 30-40 people a night. That's all changed,'' Edwards said. ''All we're getting for the next three weeks is cancellations. It's a huge impact on the community in terms of revenue dollars.'' The fire is raging in the same region where a 1987 fire killed a firefighter, burned hundreds of thousands of acres, and forced several thousand people out of their homes. Five wildfires also were burning in Yellowstone National Park but not nearly as vigorously since portions the park in northwest Wyoming got half an inch or more of rain Wednesday. Park officials continued to monitor a 12square-mile fire five miles north of Lake Village. They didn't plan to send in firefighters but and continued to let the fire burn to help the ecosystem. San Diego officials to weigh mayoral agreement SAN DIEGO (AP) — Mayor Bob Filner, besieged by sexual harassment allegations, sat down to the negotiating table with a key bargaining chip: his refusal to resign. Now that a deal aimed at ending one of San Diego's darkest periods of political turmoil has been reached, it's up to the City Council to decide whether to cash in the chip. Blues for the Pool & The council is set to vote Friday on the agreement between the mayor and city negotiators that emerged after three days of settlement talks. Details have not been disclosed but city officials had said any deal needed to include Filner's resignation. The stability of the city is at stake, City Attorney Jan Goldsmith told a monthly breakfast gathering of RBCC Auxiliary presents involved citizens Friday morning. ''We look at stability as the mayor resigning and a special election, that's what we're facing,'' Goldsmith said. That's stability for San Diego right now. If that happens then we're on our way to stability. ... We cannot have six months to a year more of this issue.'' Goldsmith, who began his speech by stressing he could not discuss specifics of the pending deal in which he was involved, said he hoped the city's problems would be addressed Friday ''and we can begin to heal.'' ''Without his resignation being part of it, it's a nonstarter,'' Republican Councilman Mark Kersey said Thursday. A person with knowledge of the negotiations said the main sticking points during talks involved granting Filner indemnity and Some Like It Hot CHILE PEPPER DAY & SALSA CONTEST! Fall Join us for a fun-filled day of Salsa Tasting, Pepper Roasting, Chile Pepper Recipe's, Handouts, Samples and Over 20 Chile Pepper varieties on display, including Some VERY, VERY, HOT Ones! Sept. 14, 2013 SALSA CONTEST: Booth space available call: 529-0556 Nor-Cal JR Claybuster's Sporting Clay Tournament @ Clear Creek Sporting Club @ (Rolling Hills) Sunday, August 25TH Signups between 8am-9am starting time 9am $ .00 75 -per shooter (lunch included) 10am-11am – Salsa Entries due 10am – Growing & Using Hot Peppers Class 12pm – Judges Official Tasting 12:30pm – Tasting open to the public 2:30pm Prizes awarded covering his legal fees in a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by Filner's former aide, Irene McCormack Jackson. The person was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke only on condition of anonymity. That provision could prove tricky for the council, which was unanimous in wanting Filner to quit but also promised to not use taxpayer dollars to defend the 70-year-old mayor accused of groping and forcibly kissing at least 17 women. Especially if your business is pouring, preparing or serving BE A PART OF IT! The official promotional Program for Red Bluff's annual "party of the year." -R ED BLUFF'S - Enter to win a great prize! 1st Place: 3 day/2 night Vacation, 2nd & 3rd place Gift Cards. Bring 1 qt. of fresh, Homemade Salsa in a non-returnable Container, along with the recipe from 10-11am. The 3 Salsa Categories are: Hot, Mild & Fruity Judging by Kathy's Deli, Burrito Bandito & It's Jerky *See website for more details 15.00-lunch non-shooter's Your partner for successful gardening....... Award ceremony following shoot @ Rolling Hill's Casino WYNTOUR GARDENS 365-2256 $ NOR-CAL JR. CLAYBUSTERS P.O. BOX 8326 RED BLUFF, CA 96080 For info call Tom 530-526-5776 8026 Airport Road, Redding I-5 North, Exit #673, Rt on Knighton, Rt on Airport Located 1 mile south of the Airport (Next to Kents Mkt) Open Mon-Sat 8-5 & Sunday's 10-4 wyntourgardens.com Facebook inform@wyntourgardens.com BENNY BROWN'S Red Bluff Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram is pleased to announce that VERN PACKER has joined our sales staff. Vern has fourty+ years experience in New and Used Car Sales, and he invites all his friends and customers to come on in and see him for a great deal on a New Or Used Car 545 Adobe Rd., Red Bluff 530-366-3166 Sponsored by the Downtown Red Bluff Business Association and the Tehama County CattleWomen. • 13,000 pre-event household Distribution via newspaper & mail. • Published online 9/13-21 at www.redbluffdailynews.com • Detailed "pull out" Downtown Beef and Brew serving locations Map included inside. (Premium ad spaces available!) • …and much more! Advertising Deadline: FRIDAY, AUGUST 30 For rates, details and space reservations: DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY Call your Daily News Advertising Representative TODAY! 530-527-2151