YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — For the first time since a wildfire broke out around Yosemite National Park, dense smoke has begun to obscure the region's majestic mountain views, park officials say.
The smoke from the two-week-old fire that shrouded parts of Yosemite Valley Saturday also hampered firefighting efforts.
"I'm in Yosemite Valley right now, and I cannot see the cliffs around me," spokeswoman Kari Cobb said. "The wind has shifted and smoke is impacting the entire park. We have been lucky until now."
All the campgrounds in the Valley still were full as of Saturday morning, despite the thick blanket and burning smell that permeated the area and was expected to linger until at least Monday, she said.
