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Evacuation orders issued for latest California wildfire amid scorching heat wave

Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on July 5, 2024

(NEW YORK) — Evacuation orders have been issued due to a wildfire in central California, the latest among more than a dozen blazes burning in the state amid a scorching heat wave.

The French Fire near Yosemite National Park in Mariposa County has burned more than 840 acres since erupting Thursday and was 5% contained as of Friday morning, according to fire officials.

Residents of parts of Mariposa County have been ordered to evacuate due to the fire, impacting approximately 1,100 people, according to the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office.

Fire crews worked to establish a fireline around the eastern side of the community of Mariposa overnight and are focusing firefighting efforts on that side, Cal Fire said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Elsewhere, the Thompson Fire in Butte County has burned more than 3,700 acres and was 46% contained as of Friday morning, according to fire officials.

Twenty-five structures have been destroyed by the fire, and three firefighters sustained heat-related injuries while battling it, officials said.

Firefighters “continue to strengthen containment and control lines,” Cal Fire said Friday.

The fire burns as hot and dry conditions in the region are expected to continue into early next week, Cal Fire said.

The cause of the Thompson Fire also remains under investigation.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in Butte County due to the Thompson Fire on Wednesday, a day after it ignited.

The largest active fire in the state — the Basin Fire in the Sierra National Forest — has burned more than 14,000 acres and was 46% contained as of Friday morning.

More than 1,300 fire crews have been battling the blaze in steep, rugged terrain, the U.S. Forest Service said. Extreme heat and dry conditions anticipated over the next few days could fuel the growth, officials said.

The cause of that fire, which started on June 26, remains under investigation.