By admin 
Yosemite National Park is open and operating (mostly as normal) despite a wildfire burning north of Wawona Dome.
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The National Park Service reported the fire on Tuesday, at the time saying there were “no immediate threats to infrastructures or developed areas.”
The so-called Dome Fire is burning less than a mile north of Chilnualna Falls, with smoke clearly visible from Wawona Road (Highway 41). Photos posted to the park service’s social media show a smoke plume rising within sight line of Half Dome in Yosemite Valley.
As of Wednesday morning, the fire has burned 300 acres and is zero percent contained, according to an incident report from CalFire. Smoke could still be seen moving over the area in camera footage from ALERTCalifornia.
So far, the rate of spread has been moderate to the north and northeast. Fire crews are using natural barriers to secure lines on the south and west sides of the fire and additional ground and air resources have been requested, though limited access and steep terrain “are hampering direct suppression efforts,” according to status updates.
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Several trails have been closed in the area, including the Chilnualna Falls trail and those moving from the top of the falls toward Buena Vista and Crescent Lakes, the Park Service said. Both lakes can still be reached from the East Side, the park service said.
Colorado Fire contained
This is the second fire reported in Yosemite this month.
The Colorado Fire closed down portions of Highway 140 in Mariposa County in advance of the busy Labor Day weekend. That fire burned 233 acres, threatened dozens of structures and caused mandatory evacuations (and injuries to two firefighters). It has since been fully contained.
This story was originally published September 16, 2026 at 10:42 AM with the headline “Fire visible from Yosemite’s Wawona Road. No immediate threats, some trails closed.”
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