An out-of-control wildfire burning in Mariposa County west of Yosemite National Park is being battled by hundreds of firefighters, which has burned through 1.4 square miles and is now threatening more than 100 others as dozens of residents evacuate, officials reported Tuesday.
According to Los Angeles Times, about 3:30 p.m., the Hunters fire started in the Hunters Valley area near Lake McClure on Monday and quickly grew to about 500 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire burning in foothills near Lake McClure in Mariposa County nearly doubled in size by Tuesday morning with roughly 900 acres and was only 10 percent contained, state fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said.
Evacuation orders have been given to threatened homes.
The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office ordered evacuations from Hunters Valley Road to Bear Valley Road, including homes off Hunters Valley Access Road and Detwiler Road as of 11:30 p.m. Monday. Hunters Valley Road to Bear Valley Road and Cotton Creek Road at Bear Valley Road remained closed.
Berlant said about 500 firefighters were battling the Hunters Fire on Tuesday morning, up from 100 firefighters when the blaze began a day earlier, the Associated Press reported.
The fire was fully uncontained as of Monday night, Calfire reported, and had destroyed two structures that were believed to be uninhabited. The blaze started as a house fire that quickly spread to the surrounding brush because of dry conditions and strong winds, ABC7 reported.
No injuries have been reported.
An evacuation center has been set up by the American Red Cross and a rescue center for pets has been established by county officials.
"This fire is burning like it would in summer with the dry conditions we've been experiencing," Berlant said.
As of May 17, Calfire had responded to more than 1,500 wildfires this year, nearly double its five-year average over the same time period, according to LA Times.
