The wildfire has already destroyed 17,000 acres of land.

Last Friday, due to a combination of extreme heat and dry air conditions, a wildfire sparked off in northern California, dangerously close to Yosemite National Park. The newly-named Oak Fire has already burned up 17,000 acres of land, prompting mass evacuations from nearby towns and residencies. Smoke from the fire could be seen as far as the San Francisco Bay. Nearly 20 buildings have been either destroyed or damage by the fire, with thousands more under threat.

California’s Oak Fire, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, grew over the weekend to become the state’s largest blaze in 2022. Although the fire’s spread has slowed, it burned nearly 17,000 acres and still could threaten 3,300 homes and businesses. https://t.co/hRVymV4PS6

— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 25, 2022

Firefighters are working overtime to contain the fire, but as of this morning, the Oak Fire is only estimated to be 10% under control. The high temperatures and dry conditions have made it difficult to prevent the fire from spreading, as well as made it more difficult for the firefighters to work safely.

On Sunday, the fire began moving toward residential areas of Mariposa County, but the firefighters were able to prevent it from advancing into Mariposa Pines proper.

California's Oak Fire has burned through more than 17,200 acres and destroyed at least 55 structures since it ignited near California's Yosemite National Park. https://t.co/qzNhfi5Usa

— CNN (@CNN) July 26, 2022

“It was a huge win for us,” Justin Macomb, an operations section chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, told reporters this morning. “Firefighters are engaged 24 hours a day. They are giving it their best effort,” he added “I’m more optimistic today about what’s going to happen than I have been in previous days.”