Update: Meadow Fire in Yosemite has burned over 2,500 acres

9/8/14 6:45 p.m. update: The Meadow Fire in Yosemite grew considerably overnight and has burned about 2,582 acres so far. What started as a small fire after lightning on August 16 got out of control on Sunday.

According to Yosemite's website, it is burning within the Little Yosemite Valley on both sides of the Merced River. All trails in the area are closed. Earlier Monday, approximately 100 hikers and backpackers were evacuated from the fire area in LYV. The fire is burning in Yosemite Wilderness.

Helicopters from the CHP, U.S. Forest Service Cal Fire and other national parks had to rescue 85 hikers and climbers from the summit of Half Dome.

There are two other fires burning near Yosemite as of today: The Bridge Fire is burning on Hwy 49 near the town of Mariposa. It is 75% contained and has burned 300 acres. Evacuation orders for that fire have been lifted.

A small fire, the Montgomery Fire, has burned 80 acres and is 50% contained. It is located south of Hwy 120/east of Hwy 49 in Mariposa County.

Original Story:

Yosemite National Park is battling another wildfire just two days after getting a handle on the 300 acre Bridge Fire. The Meadow Fire was a remote lightning fire which started on August 16. Crews had hiked into the fire area on September 3 and were monitoring it. At that time it had burned 19 acres in an area surrounded by granite and steep terrain. Winds on Sunday fanned the flames and it has grown to 400 acres. The Meadow Fire is burning in the greater Little Yosemite Valley area.

"The fire is producing pyrocumulus clouds visible from Reno roughly 125 miles away," according to the National Weather Service in reno. "A pyrocumulus cloud is produced by the intense heating of the air from the surface. Smoke from the fire will impact areas to the northeast of Yosemite. High resolution forecast models are also indicating a possibility smoke will affect the greater Reno-Carson-Minden areas by morning if intense burning continues."

The fire has caused all trails from the top of Nevada Falls to Merced Lake, including trails leading to that area, are closed. Additionally, the trail from Sunrise Lakes Trailhead to Sunrise Lakes and Sunrise Lakes High Sierra Camp, and the trails from the camp to the trail along the Merced River east of Little Yosemite Valley, are closed.

Currently, four type 1 helicopters, three type 3 helicopters, three air tankers, one air attack, six hotshot crews, and other resources are assigned to the fire.

Also burning in Yosemite are a few smaller fires caused by lightning:

The Cathedral Fire started July 16 and is at 7 acres and continues to be active. Smoke can be seen from Tuolomne Meadows.

The Mt. Starr King Fire started on July 16 and is on the east side of Mount Starr King and continues to creep through a red fir forest. Smoke is visible from many park locations, particularly from Glacier Point.

The Lembert Fire also started on July 16 and continues to smolder and creep through surface fuels in a lodgepole pine forest. It is east of Lembert Dome.