Crime & Safety
That Yosemite Fire is Still Not Contained
Saturday's rains helped, but also caused some erosion and rock falls in the burned areas.
By Bay City News Service
A massive wildfire burning near Yosemite National Park since last month is 84 percent contained, with full containment now predicted to occur by Oct. 1, the U.S. Forest Service said.
The Rim Fire, which started Aug. 17 at Jawbone Ridge in the Stanislaus National Forest before spreading into Yosemite, has consumed 257,126 acres as of Sunday, officials said.
Containment was initially predicted to occur by Sept. 20, but that date has since been pushed back.
The fire has destroyed structures including 11 homes and 98 outbuildings, as well as the Berkeley Tuolumne Family Camp, and caused 10 injuries, officials said.
It also damaged San Francisco Public Utility Commission hydroelectric powerhouses and power transmission lines.
Saturday's rains and higher humidity in the area may limit the fire's spread, but also caused some erosion and rock and debris falls in the burned areas, forest service officials said.
The fire has cost $122 million to fight so far, officials said.
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