Yosemite National Park has announced that it will not re-open it's popular Yosemite Valley until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, August 3, 2018.
The area has been closed to the public since Wednesday, July 25 due to unhealthy air conditions from the smoke of the nearby Ferguson Fire and also to clear a right-of-way for firefighting operations in the area.
While the area will be open starting next Friday, the park cautions that only limited visitor services, including at campgrounds, lodging and food service venues will be available.
Since the Ferguson Fire began on Friday, July 13, a number of park facilities and access points have been affected. Closures include Glacier Point Road, Bridalveil Creek Campground the Wawona Campground, and the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias.
The South Entrance of Yosemite National Park to Tunnel View will also remain closed until further notice, in order to support additional firefighting operations along the recently restored Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and the Wawona Road (Highway 41.)
Visitors with lodging and camping reservations are being offered the opportunity to rebook their stay or receive full refunds.
The park also notes other access information:
-The Hetch Hetchy area remains open.
-The Big Oak Flat Road (Highway 120 West) to Crane Flat and Tioga Road (Highway 120 East) from Crane Flat to Tioga Pass remain open to all visitors and vehicles.
-All trails and campgrounds along Tioga Road, including the Tuolumne Meadows Campground remain open.
-All visitor services along Tioga Road, including the High Sierra Camps and visitor services near Tuolumne Meadows remain open.
Yosemite National Park will continue to assess park conditions daily. Visitors can also receive updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park at 209-372-0200 (press 1 and press 1 again.) Updated information is also available at www.nps.gov/yose.
As of Friday, the Ferguson Fire has burned more than 46,000 acres and caused one fatality. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, it is not expected to be contained for another two weeks.
An extra-hot summer combined with drought conditions across the state are feeding a devastating fire season in California. A wildfire near Redding, California, has consumed an additional 44,000 acres and claimed the lives of three others.
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