News Release

Yosemite Fire Update, July 21, 2023

Date: July 21, 2023

Pika Fire

Location: Just west of North Dome 

Elevation: 7,100’ 

Discover date: June 29, 2023 

Size: 840 acres 

Containment: 20% 

Cause: Lightning 

Yosemite Fire crews are using a management strategy utilizing natural barriers and trails to confine the spread of the fire in a predefined area. A confine and contain strategy under favorable conditions allows fire to move naturally across the landscape, providing ecological benefits to plants and wildlife, while also meeting protection objectives to minimize risk to people and infrastructure.  

Fire management in Yosemite provides for the reduction of hazardous fuels, increasing the diversity of habitats, promoting new plant growth and a return of a natural fire cycle to the landscape.   

The southern and eastern areas of the fire perimeter are contained. The fire has exhibited moderate growth with some isolated active pockets northwest of North Dome. Crews remain onsite to ensure the fire stays within the current perimeter and will continue to monitor for the coming weeks. Trail closures will continue to be in effect, impacting short sections of the North Dome Trail and Lehamite Creek. 

Smoke from the Pika Fire are expected to impact Yosemite Valley in the evenings and overnight with conditions improving as smoke lifts during the late mornings. Impacts may also be seen in the trails in the park and surrounding communities of Foresta, Groveland, El Portal, and Lee Vining". 

For current smoke conditions: nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/aqmonitoring.htm 

Current Fire Conditions INCIWEB: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/caynp-pika-fire