U.S. Forest Service Information Officer Dan Tune said the creek fire in the Sierra National Forest had exploded.
The fire broke out Friday evening in a forest south of Yosemite National Park, which had grown to 36,000 acres by Saturday night. A helicopter with a public address system alerted the group on the lake.
Mammoth Pool Reservoir is a popular recreational site, but Tune could not give an estimate of how many people would seek refuge.
“Emergency personnel from multiple agencies need to focus on the crucial task of rescuing more than 150 people from the mammoth pool boat lounge,” the Post said. “We are contacting asylum seekers at Mammoth Pool Reservoir, who have been reported with ten injuries but can now safely seek refuge.”
Campgrounds across the area were subject to compulsory eviction orders, but the way out was compromised.
“The fire was going up as the road was going out. We did not want to include campers trying to travel through an area where the fire was likely to spread,” Tune said.
Tune said the wildfires were burning aggressively and the temperature in the area was reaching 100 degrees.
“It’s on a riverbed, so in the afternoon you get up the gorge wind,” Tune commented, adding that the wind speed is 10-15 miles per hour.
Tune said there have been two incidents of low visibility due to smoke but planes and helicopters continue to face fire from the air.
“The line of fire like this is very dangerous, so the plane had to go backwards for a while, and come back when the situation changes,” he said.
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