A out-of-control wildfire forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes inside Yosemite National Park. Source: AAP
FIREFIGHTERS in California are struggling to contain a giant blaze that threatens thousands of homes and is sweeping into Yosemite National Park.
The so-called Rim Fire doubled in size in just one day, and the vast blaze was only five per cent contained, according to Inciweb.org, the online Incident Information System that monitors fires in the western United States.
Governor Jerry Brown late on Friday declared a state of emergency for San Francisco - which lies some 320km to the west - because the Pacific coast city gets much of its electricity from the region affected by the fire.
The fire broke out on August 17 at the Stanislaus National Park, which along with Yosemite is among the state's main natural tourist attractions.
Some 2000 firefighters battled the blaze with help from tanker planes and helicopters, which dumped flame retardant chemicals from the air. About 4500 structures are threatened by the wildfire.
Temperatures are mild, but the fire has been fed by the extremely low humidity, dry scrub brush and trees, and gusts of strong wind that pushed the flames into narrow canyons and ridges that are hard for firefighters to reach.
Officials have ordered the small towns of Tuolumne and Ponderosa Hills evacuated. Officials also closed a major interstate highway running through the region.
Earlier, Brown declared a state of emergency in Tuolumne County, allowing him to use additional resources to battle the fire.
Satellite photos show giant columns of white smoke from the fire drifting far into the neighbouring state of Nevada.
The Rim Fire "continues to exhibit very large fire growth due to extremely dry fuels and inaccessible terrain," Inciweb said.
"Due to inaccessible, steep terrain and active fire behaviour a combination of direct and indirect attack will be used on this incident. Direct line suppression efforts are impeded by difficult access and steep inaccessible terrain."
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