Even as fire burns on the horizon and nips at the edges of Yosemite National Park, the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau issued a release welcoming tourists and underscoring that the fire has had little effect on the park itself.
"Yosemite is the size of Rhode Island, and the fire is only impacting one area of the park," the bureau noted.
"While the fire continues to dominate headlines, most Yosemite travelers can still visit the park and never even known about the drama playing out on the other side."
The majority of fire activity is near Lake Eleanor and the Hetch Hetchy area, but the most popular part of the park, Yosemite Valley, remains virtually smoke-free.
"Popular spots such as the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia, Wawona, Glacier Point, Tunnel View and all of Yosemite Valley are open and there are no restrictions or affects from the fire, though the Highway 120 entrance is closed.
You can check out the scene in real time via the Yosemite Conservancy Webcams at www.YosemiteConservancy.com/webcams or call the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau at 559-683-4636 and speak to a live person. Updated road conditions are available at 209-372-0200 (press 1 and 1 again).
