![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6EDTFOHD2YIKK6O5NL6B6434OE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e749622c0b2390d01ecfface0de8146cfd97a25bdaea0684a3918a12b5f4697&width=400&height=225)
Allison Baggett watches as the Oak fire burns close to her home in Mariposa county, shortly before evacuating. Reuters
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A home burns in Mariposa county, California, where firefighters are battling to bring the Oak blaze under control. AP
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California officials said firefighters arrived at the scene early but were not able to contain the blaze. Getty
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The fire began on Friday and is closing in on the Yosemite area, home to some of the largest and oldest sequoia trees in the world. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/73AYTDEXAM6A46WDWT5M5LNHAE.jpg?smart=true&auth=bc0d8f660c82860626192c6510072ad5d1e5ab12a7b13ca9d3621e5c4a783a29&width=400&height=225)
California Highway Patrol officers stand next to a car that crashed into a ditch as the driver attempted to flee from the fire in Mariposa county. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LNA2W45CEWSJQDUL2AE6US6ZRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=889b56b4428d0384f72021cb85d20082d4a122792278c2c4e3c1a7f6aa1ffa0d&width=400&height=225)
Firefighter Joanna Jimenez holds a dog she found wandering in a fire evacuation zone in Mariposa county. AP
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An aircraft drops flame retardant to control the fire. Reuters
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The ruins of a home gutted by the fire smoulder near Midpines, north-east of Mariposa county. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GL6GXKIZ4ZTJ7UP7VBBX5BE5KQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=4d14420d6a049324f971b16e6c6f4af1e9021377a8addd682e57999b6e06e8e2&width=400&height=225)
A row of mailboxes tagged with evacuation notices sit along Triangle road in Mariposa county. Bloomberg
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The fire has consumed at least 6,314 hectares of land, an area more than half the size of Paris. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6AG2IYI7NUMDMA6K5CNYAL4F6I.jpg?smart=true&auth=bbeaebec1ed6c2ade208076e64cd645b7880f6501d30b36074d8553af3709f11&width=400&height=225)
Mariposa county residents check a fire incident map not far from billowing clouds of smoke. EPA
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An aerial view of the fire as it approaches Yosemite National Park. Reuters
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Firefighters look on as the Oak Fire burns in Darrah, Mariposa county. Reuters
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A firefighter douses flames near Aromas, California. AP
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More than two decades of drought and rising temperatures have made California more vulnerable to bushfires. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RKEBRNT32QL5KU343MB2E25NRY.jpg?smart=true&auth=5b0b15b3f5688781c4cf2b21ac976d63b371f5582bbfbda8714712dc8af56d84&width=400&height=225)
The blaze in Mariposa county represents a dangerous new front in the fight against fires in the western US. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6EDTFOHD2YIKK6O5NL6B6434OE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e749622c0b2390d01ecfface0de8146cfd97a25bdaea0684a3918a12b5f4697&width=400&height=225)
Allison Baggett watches as the Oak fire burns close to her home in Mariposa county, shortly before evacuating. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3LPP26SE4FUIO33J7EEUDJAMDQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=9d8e3919899f2ef333879c7bc79faa0ab0cb138536f42cabf380057973e11675&width=400&height=225)
A home burns in Mariposa county, California, where firefighters are battling to bring the Oak blaze under control. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/Q576UQKWOPIQG4LP6FTTBX6IQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=c4042a78cf091ac92b632004ceb3e36e10ef289748eb4384723c8a8507bcd4f9&width=400&height=225)
California officials said firefighters arrived at the scene early but were not able to contain the blaze. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AOXEECQDLSOZVYXUFUEMGIGVGA.jpg?smart=true&auth=3c188eb6b68a044d702568462ada266663fb67d374c1e4a2a74745c192de3e5b&width=400&height=225)
The fire began on Friday and is closing in on the Yosemite area, home to some of the largest and oldest sequoia trees in the world. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/73AYTDEXAM6A46WDWT5M5LNHAE.jpg?smart=true&auth=bc0d8f660c82860626192c6510072ad5d1e5ab12a7b13ca9d3621e5c4a783a29&width=400&height=225)
California Highway Patrol officers stand next to a car that crashed into a ditch as the driver attempted to flee from the fire in Mariposa county. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LNA2W45CEWSJQDUL2AE6US6ZRU.jpg?smart=true&auth=889b56b4428d0384f72021cb85d20082d4a122792278c2c4e3c1a7f6aa1ffa0d&width=400&height=225)
Firefighter Joanna Jimenez holds a dog she found wandering in a fire evacuation zone in Mariposa county. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MIRFLWA46IDSUICETDDYAUQAV4.jpg?smart=true&auth=b9b2dfdb511121cca80baeab7d6ff618af8f7979f47b6d6fa020cd988f2e7c8e&width=400&height=225)
An aircraft drops flame retardant to control the fire. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/U64A4UIEM3MYQAUIRCJEJW3SAI.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca20f39785e26d9534b980c626bca5b569b952b6298762aea7c2909b8488d70a&width=400&height=225)
The ruins of a home gutted by the fire smoulder near Midpines, north-east of Mariposa county. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GL6GXKIZ4ZTJ7UP7VBBX5BE5KQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=4d14420d6a049324f971b16e6c6f4af1e9021377a8addd682e57999b6e06e8e2&width=400&height=225)
A row of mailboxes tagged with evacuation notices sit along Triangle road in Mariposa county. Bloomberg
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JM7P5FJUB44DAPWPIR2ZT6YQA.jpg?smart=true&auth=ca1d45d1a756cde2101160d297f62293d13e3909dc7f90af53836eaf92976c74&width=400&height=225)
The fire has consumed at least 6,314 hectares of land, an area more than half the size of Paris. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6AG2IYI7NUMDMA6K5CNYAL4F6I.jpg?smart=true&auth=bbeaebec1ed6c2ade208076e64cd645b7880f6501d30b36074d8553af3709f11&width=400&height=225)
Mariposa county residents check a fire incident map not far from billowing clouds of smoke. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MNPM2YHZFN3SUHAH4ZX4FFOLYE.jpg?smart=true&auth=3969596d2720cc134d8b8880257ecbb44e68a569732f25796ab1428faef82b6b&width=400&height=225)
An aerial view of the fire as it approaches Yosemite National Park. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VHHGJFUI3L7JKBNDIIYUAQG4MU.jpg?smart=true&auth=572551a4c549a8d708cc1aa4ae0bb6e389c2728db3ea9fa1874ccd296fcc9bcc&width=400&height=225)
Firefighters look on as the Oak Fire burns in Darrah, Mariposa county. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QEIJNSENGC5NQUGQ5EE2OVPEV4.jpg?smart=true&auth=cba120fd67606adfe4fb960a93c17277b3f7d433ad701019c01d53a4835aeb8c&width=400&height=225)
A firefighter douses flames near Aromas, California. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/A3NGLIMX4QJTNM3O3FWM2RRAYE.jpg?smart=true&auth=b4c53b614ae443b5324e877b264e1d73ce67f8e8bf9e98da812d1335f5182cc1&width=400&height=225)
More than two decades of drought and rising temperatures have made California more vulnerable to bushfires. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RKEBRNT32QL5KU343MB2E25NRY.jpg?smart=true&auth=5b0b15b3f5688781c4cf2b21ac976d63b371f5582bbfbda8714712dc8af56d84&width=400&height=225)
The blaze in Mariposa county represents a dangerous new front in the fight against fires in the western US. AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6EDTFOHD2YIKK6O5NL6B6434OE.jpg?smart=true&auth=1e749622c0b2390d01ecfface0de8146cfd97a25bdaea0684a3918a12b5f4697&width=400&height=225)
Allison Baggett watches as the Oak fire burns close to her home in Mariposa county, shortly before evacuating. Reuters
Summer heatwave sparks wildfires across Europe and the US
Unusually high temperatures make fires spread and hundreds flee their homes
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Soraya Ebrahimi
24 July, 2022
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