Haze At Least 121,000 Acres Burned Fire rages through the night in the Stanislaus National Forest near Groveland, Calif., Wednesday. A 3,200-acre brush and timber fire forced closure of California 120, effectively shutting off a major entrance to Yosemite National Park. Almost a week after wildfires spread across the West, firefighting resources are being stretched to their limits. A yellow haze has settled over large stretches of northern California, forcing some residents to hospitals with breathing problems.
Fires rage through forestland as firefighters expect more blazes to come.
Across the West, where fires started raging last weekend largely due to lightning strikes, experts feared that firefighting resources were being stretched thin. Gov. Gray Davis, D-Calif., declared fire emergencies Thursday in four Northern California counties, allowing them to recoup the costs incurred from fighting the blazes. Thick smoke has blanketed Reno, Nev., and cities in California, including Sacramento, where authorities warned residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity. This reminds me of the air when Mount St. Helens blew its top. Emergency rooms in the area were filled today with patients complaining of respiratory problems.