A recent fire in Yosemite National Park prevented some fellow UC Merced students from making the trip to the park the past few weekends. The fire, dubbed the Meadow Fire, burned just North of Yosemite’s infamous Half Dome monolith, creating thick, rolling dark smoke that cascaded down into Yosemite Valley and beyond.
The Meadow fire had been spreading steadily until September 7 when it flared and lit the perimeter of the valley in bright red. By September 17 it had burned nearly 5,000 acres of Yosemite’s wilderness—which, by contrast, is nothing compared to last year’s Rim Fire that burned well over 200,000 acres near Yosemite. As of recently, however, this year’s Meadow Fire is contained and the park’s visitors are free to experience Yosemite’s valley smoke-free.
But another fire is currently burning just outside Yosemite, in Oakhurst, as of September 18 called Courteney. The town of Oakhurst had recovered from another fire in August that destroyed several homes and other structures, and now Courtney has demolished between 33 and 40 homes as nearly 600 firefighters are rushing to contain the blaze. At least 600 Oakhurst locals have been evacuated from their homes and are seeking refuge with their friends or families.
Fires are a common occurrence during summer in Yosemite, since the hot summer months welcome thunderstorms and lightning. Locals of Yosemite and nearby towns are not surprised when a fire strikes and power lines fail.
As concern for California’s drought increases, so does the concern for the state’s water usage—and showering the fires with thousands of gallons of water is affecting California’s limited water resources.
Usually winters bring a blanket of snow on California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, which is responsible for providing nearly the entire state with water. But in recent years there has only been a fraction of snow falling on the mountaintops, dramatically dropping California’s water supply to excessively low levels.
Some people point to climate change, while others oppose the idea. Whatever the cause may be, it is unquestionable that Yosemite’s glaciers are melting and water levels are continuing to recede as we head toward another unpromising winter.
Maya Nielsen
Staff Writer
mnielsen@ucmerced.edu