South Fork Fire near Wawona in Yosemite grows to 1,613 acres

A wildfire in the southern part of Yosemite National Park near Wawona grew from 900 to 1,613 within hours on Monday.

The South Fork Fire started around 2:30 p.m. Sunday in steep, rocky terrain with dead trees, according to the National Park Service. As of Monday, the cause remains unknown.

Park rangers closed the bottom of Chilnualna Falls trail. Firefighters are working to contain the fire on the west end and to keep the fire north of the river to protect the community of Wawona. Air resources, hand crews and off-road engines are being used.

Smoke is expected to be heavy in the fire area and surrounding communities. Visibility may be affected along Wawona Road south to Fish Camp, Glacier Point Road, Yosemite Valley, Highway 140 from El Portal to Mariposa, and Tioga Pass to the Mono Lake area.

This story was originally published August 14, 2017 at 1:03 PM with the headline "South Fork Fire near Wawona in Yosemite grows to 1,613 acres."