Madera County Fire Leads to Over 1,500 Evacuations

Near Yosemite National Park, one of several wildfires burning in California is nearing closer to populated areas. More than 1,500 people in homes and hotels around the community of Oakhurst in Madera County have been warned to evacuate due to the fire—named the Junction fire—according to a spokesperson from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office.

3,000 residents in the area were warned about the fire, though only about half of those individuals were told to leave their homes, the spokesperson said. She went on to say that the fire has burned about 500 acres as of Monday. No injuries have been reported so far, though the fire is believed to have burned structures. The origin of the fire is also currently unknown.

In addition to the evacuations, the surrounding area has been affected by the fire. The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District has announced an air alert for all of Madera County due to the smoke coming from the Junction fire. Impacts from the smoke may soon be felt in the nearby counties of Merced, Stanislaus, Fresno, Tulare and Kings, due to weather, though no official warnings have been issued anywhere other than Madera County.

Read more about the fire here.