This post was written by Ryan Price, 2013 Birding Intern.
Over 100,000 acres and seven structures have burned in the Rim Fire just west of Yosemite National Park. With the fire at 2% containment, Highway 120 is closed from Groveland to the park entrance as the fire continues to move up the Tuolumne River canyon.
Those traveling from the east side of the Sierra into Yosemite will not have any problem getting into Yosemite Valley on Highway 120 west; however, travel from Yosemite to the Bay Area via Highway 120 will be redirected around the fire. The best alternative driving route is to take the Highway 140 west from the park to Highway 99 north and then west to the Bay Area from there.
To travel to the Bay Area from the east side of the Sierra it would be best to take Highway 108 over Sonora Pass.
The fire is within the Stanislaus National Forest and is six miles west of Yosemite and five miles east of Groveland and 2,500 structures are currently threatened by the fire. For info on evacuations check the Wildfire Today website.
More information on the Rim Fire is available on Inciweb as well.