SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Once again, smoke from another wildfire burning out of control near Yosemite National Park is expected to reach the Bay Area Monday morning.
For more, stream KCBS Radio now.
Fire crews made good progress overnight on the Oak Fire, which is now 10% contained at nearly 17,000 acres. So far the blaze has burned more than a half-dozen structures, some of them homes.
Meanwhile, smoke from the Oak Fire will be blowing toward the Bay Area Monday morning and continuing into the afternoon, but it’s unlikely to pose a major risk to residents.
"Most of that smoke will stay aloft," said Brooke Bingaman with the National Weather Service. "Much higher than ground surface level."
"So the good news with that is that even though it may bring hazy skies to the Bay Area today, it shouldn't bother people down in the valley," she said.
Folks in higher elevations might smell a tinge of smoke.
"Luckily a lot people do have masks around and so you can simply put on a mask if you’re worried about smoke particulates," said Bingaman.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has also issued an air quality advisory for today.
In the meantime, the Oak Fire is already three times as big as the Washburn Fire which burned near Yosemite earlier this month. With more than 2,000 firefighters on the front lines, they have their hands full.
"A fire at this size will create its own weather," said CAL FIRE spokesperson Hector Vasquez, which makes it hard to predict what will happen next.
The blaze erupted Friday southwest of the park in Mariposa County. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
DOWNLOAD the Audacy App
SIGN UP and follow KCBS Radio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Related
