The Oak Fire last year threatened the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation's way of life. Now the tribe is restoring ancient heritage sites and cultural practices in collaboration with local agencies.
Crews battling the Oak Fire in California's Mariposa County got a break from increased humidity levels. The blaze, which forced the evacuations of thousands, was 26% contained, Cal Fire said.
The largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park remained closed Saturday as firefighters battled a blaze that threatened the gathering of the iconic trees and forced campers to evacuate.
Yosemite National Park reopens Thursday after nearly three months of closure because of the pandemic. Local businesses are beginning to reopen as well, and many visitors are eager to return.
The Majestic Yosemite Hotel is back to its original name, The Ahwahnee. And a set of cabins that was temporarily called Half Dome Village now carries its historic name, Camp Curry.
Volunteers and a skeletal staff have maintained sites in some parks. In others, the amount of damage and trash triggered an unprecedented move from the National Park Service to return more workers.
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson were the first to free climb to the top of the southeastern face of Yosemite's El Capitan. "It's as sheer and as vertical as the side of a skyscraper," Jorgeson says.