A Rim fire that struck Yosemite National Park last Saturday has developed into an enormous, 165 square mile blaze, causing Gov. Jerry Brown to announce a state of emergency in California.
The fire, which has grown to be about twice the size of San Francisco, quickly spread from 25 miles wide on Wednesday to 98 square miles wide the very next day.
Containment dropped to 1 percent, down from 5 percent the previous day, NBC Bay Area reported on Thursday.
Efforts to restrain the flames has cost around $5 million thus far, with over 1,350 firefighters sent out to battle the blaze.
Firefighters worked through Thursday evening to try putting out some of the fire that continues spreading, fed by dry brush, oak and pine.
Hundreds have been forced to evacuate their homes, with about 4,000 other residents waiting on word as to whether they'll have to leave too.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the wildfire is currently spreading in two directions, but California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesperson Daniel Berlant said that most of the fire activity is moving to the east, straight into Yosemite.
SFGate reported that the fire is headed for Berkeley-based Tuolumne Family Camp, affecting summertime camp-goers who might have been planning trips to Yosemite.
"The Berkeley Tuolumne Family Camp is under threat," public affairs officer for the Stanislaus National Forest office of the U.S. Forest Service told the local paper.
Oakland resident Jessica Cannon had plans to go to Camp Tawonga, located just five miles away from the fire. She was worried that the family camp she has gone to for years was in grave danger.
"It's definitely in my mind," Cannon stated, on Tawonga. "It's a beautiful place, I hope everything's okay."
