Northern California wildfire forces evacuation of wild cats from park

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/10/california-wildfires-lions-tigers-evacuated-cat-haven

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Lions, tigers and other cats big and small are being evacuated as California’s biggest wildfire continues to spread, possibly threatening the park where they live, officials said Thursday.

Cat Haven in Fresno County, where the fire has been burning for nearly six weeks, is closing temporarily.

Meanwhile, officials are advising more residents to be ready to evacuate as the stubborn blaze spreads.

The fire sparked by lightning on 31 July has charred about 172 square miles. It is less than one-third contained.

Nearly three dozen wild cats will soon be moved from the 100-acre site just west of King’s Canyon national park.

The foothill communities of Dunlap, Miramonte and Pinehurst are under evacuation warnings.

KFSN reports cats will go south to the Los Angeles area, while others will stay in the Fresno area. The Fresno Chaffee zoo is also assisting.

A wildfire in northern California that exploded in size in hours has destroyed six homes in Amador County as evacuations remain in place Thursday, Cal Fire officials said. Two outbuildings were also destroyed. It is about 20% contained and has spread to nearby Calaveras County.

About 12,000 people are still without power amid a heat wave, as several facilities and power lines were damaged by the fast-moving blaze. Power could be restored Thursday night.

In Tuolumne County near Yosemite national park, a firefighter was injured and a home was destroyed when two fires combined in the Cedar Ridge area, state fire spokeswoman Lisa Williams said Wednesday.

Three educational camps and several homes in the area were ordered evacuated. The fire burning about 20 miles north-east of Sonora has consumed 102 acres and was 50% contained Thursday.

Nearby, a wildfire above Yosemite Valley grew to 500 acres, sending plumes of smoke visible throughout the park, park spokesman Scott Gediman said. Trails on the north rim of Yosemite Valley south of the Tioga Road and east of Yosemite Creek are closed, Gediman said. The cause of the fires are under investigation.