Yosemite remains open even as smoke from the Detwiler Fire drifts into the valley

Yosemite National Park remains open and operating normally even as smoke from the Detwiler Fire has drifted into the valley, putting a hazy filter on sightseeing.

About 50 Yosemite National Park employees, however, have been displaced because of the blaze, said Yosemite spokeswoman Jamie Richards. Some of those employees are being housed at the park and are still coming in to work, she added.

Smoke from the fire, which is burning in Mariposa County, has drifted into Yosemite during one of the busiest periods of the year, causing hazy skies and partially obstructing the view of Half Dome and other attractions, Richards said.

Despite the conditions, Yosemite has not seen a noticeable decline in visitors. But the park has fielded calls from people concerned that attractions or roads might be closed. Highway 140 coming from Merced through Mariposa is shut down because of the wildfire, but Highways 41 and 120 remain open.

The park experienced power outages related to the fire on Tuesday and Wednesday, but electricty has been fully restored, said Richards.

This story was originally published July 20, 2017 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Yosemite remains open even as smoke from the Detwiler Fire drifts into the valley."