August 28, 2013

Take a Virtual Flight Through Yosemite’s Fire Zone

This Google Earth tour shows you where the blaze is burning—and what’s at stake.

 

Several weeks ago, a fire started in California’s pristine and wild Stanislaus National Forest, about 150 miles east of San Francisco, close to Yosemite National Park. By August 19, the blaze, known as the Rim Fire, was doubling in size every day. On August 27, it was 180,000 acres, bigger than the city of Chicago. Some 3,700 firefighters have used 460 fire engines, 60 bulldozers, and 15 helicopters to try to control it. And it’s still growing.

Watch the video above for a Google Earth bird’s-eye view of the areas that are threatened by the fire. Read more about what makes the Rim Fire an especially scary wildfire here.

 

More Mother Jones reporting on Climate Desk

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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