MIDPINES, Calif. — An out-of-control wildfire burning Sunday near an entrance to Yosemite National Park has destroyed eight homes and threatened thousands more as flames forced authorities to cut power to the park.
The blaze has charred more than 18,000 acres since Friday and was completely uncontained Sunday.
In Southern California, visitors were evacuated Sunday from the Los Angeles zoo as a fast-moving brush fire burned nearby in Griffith Park.
The 5-acre blaze burned within about 1,000 feet of a California condor enclosure. The rare birds were not in immediate danger, and firefighters were on hand to protect the cages.
Near Yosemite National Park, the wildfire led officials to order the evacuations of 170 homes under immediate threat. About 2,000 homes faced at least some danger from the fast-spreading flames, according to fire officials. No injuries were reported.
State fire spokeswoman Karen Guillemin said the blaze was sparked by someone target shooting. To protect firefighters battling flames beneath power lines, electricity was cut to a wide area, including the national park, fire officials said.
Some park buildings were closed because of the power outage, but generators were still providing hotels, stores and other heavily used park facilities with electricity.
