Firefighters mop up hot spots while battling the Oak Fire in the Jerseydale community of Mariposa County, Calif., on Monday, July 25, 2022. They are part of Task Force Rattlesnake, a program comprised of Cal Fire and California National Guard firefighters. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
The fast-moving wildfire burning southwest of Yosemite National Park is growing at an alarming pace, leading to thousands of evacuations. The Oak fire has exploded to over 18-thousand acres, making it the largest wildfire the state has seen this season. Over 25-hundred firefighters are now battling the blaze that first erupted on Friday with containment now at 26-percent. Governor Newsom has declared a state of emergency for Mariposa County, which is north of Fresno.