The Ferguson fire continued its march toward Yosemite National Park over the weekend, growing significantly to more than 30,000 acres.
The explosive fire is eating through dead and dying trees in the forest and has prompted evacuations. California Highway 140 is closed.
The fire started July 13. It killed a firefighter on its first day when a bulldozer tumbled down a hillside during the building of a defensive line. The flames have pushed south and east along a south fork of the Merced River, but along the way they've moved over ridge tops and into groves of dead wood east of Yosemite.
Two other firefighters have been injured.
Crews have been preparing defensive positions ahead of the fire's path and preparing other areas for burn operations that would eliminate potential fuel. In the last few days, the flames have reached the groves of pines killed in California's brutal drought and massive bark-beetle infestation. In those patches of land, crews aren't just watching out for fire, but also falling trees or branches.
The fire was 6 percent contained as of Sunday.
Meanwhile, a heat wave is about to hit Southern California. Los Angeles County officials have issued a warning for this week.
High temperatures are forecast to arrive Monday. The alert covers areas prone to dangerous summertime heat. They include downtown Los Angeles, the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita Valley, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and the Pomona area.
The National Weather Service is forecasting record-breaking highs and has issued a heat advisory until Thursday evening.
