THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
Additional Interagency Hotshot Crews have been ordered and are arriving at the incident. Firefighters’ top priority is the northeast area, where multiple spot fires occurred Thursday afternoon.
Official NPS sourceCrews continue to make good progress in the southern area of the fire, and containment lines are being reinforced. On the west side, the fire continues to slowly back down the slope toward control lines. With wind gust to 20 mph and low relative humidity yesterday, fire activity increased in the northeast area near Bridalveil Creek, and the fire spotted out ahead of itself.
Official NPS sourceThe fire grew 192 acres since yesterday morning, partly from planned backfiring operations. It is 40% contained. Firing operations continue near Glacier Point Road and the Bridalveil Creek Trail. Crews carefully burn dry brush and fallen trees. This adds some acres, but it builds stronger control lines and keeps firefighters safer.
Official NPS sourceThe fire has grown 242 acres since yesterday morning and is now 39% contained. Containment is increasing and is outpacing the fire growth.
Official NPS sourceThe fire has grown 177 acres since yesterday morning and is now 34% contained. Containment is increasing. The fire’s growth was slowed on Monday, in part due to cooler temperatures and higher relative humidity. Warmer and drier weather returns to the region through the remainder of the week.
Official NPS sourceThe fire has grown 406 acres since yesterday morning and remains 30% contained. Containment is increasing. The fire’s primary growth has been to the north and northeast at a moderated pace.
Official NPS sourceThe fire has grown 311 acres since yesterday morning and is now 30% contained. The fire continues to move slowly north and northeast into the 2017 Empire Fire footprint, where rocky terrain and natural barriers are helping slow its spread.
Official NPS sourceThe fire grew 240 acres since yesterday morning. Containment has increased to 28%. The fire is moving north and northeast in the old 2017 Empire Fire footprint and is inside the Yosemite Wilderness. Crews are building and widening fire lines near Bridalveil Creek, Empire Meadows and Horse Ridge.
Official NPS sourceThe fire grew 228 acres since yesterday morning. It is 17% contained. Crews are building and widening fire lines near Bridalveil Creek, Empire Meadows and Horse Ridge. No roads, buildings or utilities are under immediate threat.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome Fire increased 194 acres from yesterday. Wildland firefighters made progress connecting handlines to the Bridalveil Creek trail system and 2017 Empire Fire footprint and are continuing to place contingency lines off of Glacier Point Road.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome Fire remained active overnight with most activity being on the north and northeast flanks of the fire.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome Fire continued to spread at a moderate rate of growth. Last night, the Dome Fire spread further into the 2017 Empire Fire footprint and the spot fire to the east grew. As the fire moves north into the footprint, heavy dead and down fuels will be receptive to spotting. Fire behavior will remain moderate, with spotting behavior being a big challenge in the full suppression efforts of this fire.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome Fire was active overnight, spreading 283 acres to the northern edges of the fire and continues to grow into the 2017 Empire Fire footprint. There are three areas of concern that firefighters will prioritize today: a spot fire east of Turner Meadow, a spot fire in Empire Meadows, and isolated hot spots identified last night near the Chilnualna Falls area.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome Fire grew 149 acres overnight, and containment remains at 15%. The Dome Fire continues to move towards the old and existing fire perimeters of the 2017 Empire and South Fork Fires.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome Fire remained active overnight with moderate activity to the north and northwest.
Official NPS sourceMost activity on the Dome fire today was on the west and north flanks.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome Fire remained active overnight with most activity being on the west and north flanks of the fire.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome fire continues to have a moderate rate of spread to the north and northeast as it runs up-slope aligned with terrain and wind.
Official NPS sourceThe Dome fire was reported this morning, September 15, 2026, and is currently 100 acres.
Official NPS sourceA dead big brown bat found outside the Curry Village Showerhouse on May 18, 2026, has tested positive for rabies. No known human contact with the bat has been reported. However, anyone who may have had direct contact with a bat in the Curry Village area on or around May 18 should contact the California Department of Health (CDPH) and a healthcare provider promptly to determine whether treatment is needed.
Official NPS sourceMore people are visiting Yosemite National Park this year, but they aren't spending more time waiting. Preliminary results from a new peak-season visitor survey found 96% of visitors rated their recreational experience in Yosemite as good or excellent, while 91% reported waiting less than 15 minutes to enter the park or experiencing no entrance delay at all.
Official NPS source
There are eight new wildfire starts in Yosemite National Park, all attributed to early morning lightning on August 12, 2026. No site closures or evacuations have been implemented at the time of this update.
Official NPS sourceEffective at 12:01 a.m. local time on Friday, Aug. 7, 2026, Yosemite National Park will implement fire restrictions throughout the park below 8,000 feet in elevation. The restrictions are in place to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires and will remain in effect until rescinded.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park has released the Mist Trail Corridor Environmental Assessment (EA) for public review and comment. The project proposes improvements to one of the most heavily visited and iconic trail corridors in the National Park System.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park today announced year-round fishing in Yosemite Valley is now available to expand opportunity for anglers and align with California fishing rules. Seasonal closures that previously restricted winter fishing access have been removed.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park is preparing to welcome visitors for the peak summer season with expanded access across the park, including the reopening of popular trails, climbing areas, and full campground availability.
Official NPS sourceNational Park Service officials formally welcomed Ray McPadden as superintendent of Yosemite National Park during an assumption of responsibility ceremony held in Yosemite Valley Thursday April 23.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park today announced it will no longer use a timed reservation system in 2026. The decision follows a comprehensive evaluation of traffic patterns, parking availability and visitor use during the 2025 season.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park is preparing to welcome thousands of visitors for the annual viewing of Horsetail Fall, the natural phenomenon that occurs for a brief window each February when the setting sun can illuminate the waterfall on El Capitan with a striking, firelike glow. The projected viewing period for 2026 is Feb. 10–26, depending on natural conditions.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service today announced three recent convictions for illegal BASE jumping in Yosemite National Park, underscoring the park’s commitment to visitor safety, resource protection and the enforcement of federal law.
Official NPS source
Two small fires are burning in Yosemite and may be visible from various areas.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park closed out one of its busiest summer seasons in recent years this Labor Day holiday weekend. Visitation through August totaled 2,919,722 visits, an increase of seven percent compared to the same period in 2024 (2,727,496 visitors). With the exception of February when winter storms limited access, Yosemite’s 2025 monthly visitation numbers have outpaced 2024 numbers every month and the park is on track for one of the busiest years on record.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park celebrated a major milestone today in meeting its long-term infrastructure sustainability goals with the official groundbreaking for the new El Portal Wastewater Treatment Plant, a transformative $239 million investment funded through the Great American Outdoors Act’s Legacy Restoration Fund, which was signed into law by President Donald J. Trump in 2020.
Official NPS sourceDue to high fire danger and to reduce the number of human-caused wildfires, fire restrictions are currently in effect below 6,000 feet. Additionally, wood and charcoal fires are prohibited in Tamarack Flat Campground.
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park is proud to announce the reopening of the Tuolumne Meadows Campground Aug 1, following the completion of a transformative three-year, $26 million rehabilitation project funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).
Official NPS sourceYosemite National Park will open all 13 park campgrounds this summer, marking the first time since 2019 that all campgrounds have been open. These additional openings will add approximately 500 campsites available to the public for enjoying the park.
Official NPS source
As fire season begins in the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park officials announce that fire crews are prepared to protect the park's natural and cultural resources. Throughout the winter and spring, Yosemite’s fire management teams have actively reduced hazardous fuel loads through prescribed burning, mechanical thinning, and pile burning efforts—vital work to minimize the intensity and spread of wildfires.
Official NPS sourceAs Memorial Day weekend approaches, Yosemite National Park is preparing to welcome a high volume of visitors eager to enjoy the natural beauty of one of America’s most iconic destinations. All major popular features — including Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, and Tioga Road (scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday May 26) — will be open and fully accessible, offering unforgettable experiences to holiday travelers.
Official NPS sourceFire danger has been consistently "low" over the past several days and there is more precipitation in the forecast. Seasonal firefighters have started to depart and Helicopter-551 has been released for the season. With these changes, Yosemite Fire managers have declared the Fire Season over as of November 15, 2024.
Official NPS source