Officials stated that some evacuees of the Yosemite fire can now go home. Around 1,000 people in Oakhurst were forcedly evacuated during the fire outrage in the Sierra Nevada Foothills near Yosemite, and thousands more were told to be ready for a possible evacuation. According to Erica Stuart (sheriff's spokesperson), a portion of the 1,000 evacuees were permitted to go back to their houses, however, she did not provide the exact number or an estimate of them.
The blaze that threatened 500 homes and destroyed 8-structures was unable to scarce the beauty of Yosemite National Park, but it is a serious threat for the residents especially in Oakhurst which is only several miles away from the blazing flames. Clement Williams, 67, a resident of Oakhurst stated, "There is nothing you can do when a fire is raging." He added, "It's a real sinking feeling." In order to easily get in touch with authorities and acquire information regarding the status of their home, Clement Williams with his wife Gretchen Williams, 63, decided to spend the night at a near hotel.
Oakhurst's downtown area seemed like a ghost town as business establishments were closed. Although the blaze is a mile away, it still did give the downtown area a taste of its smoke as it filled Oakhurst downtown business with a smoky environment.
Thankfully, with the help of nature's calm weather, positive developments are now experienced as 30% of the blaze has been contained, fire officials said. In fact, Madera County Sheriff John Anderson stated, "We're not seeing the fire expand like we thought."
Hopefully, those 450 plus firefighters with air support who are courageously fighting to save the homes of the residents can win the flaming battle and minimize its impact to individuals living around that area.
This crisis is not new to the residents. In fact, just last month, a fire blaze also erupted at the park, which put 100 homes around Yosemite in danger for destruction. The fire was put out though after it filled Yosemite's famed valley with smoke.
