Vast, stubborn California fire to rage through long weekend

Source: AP

By SCOTT SMITH

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — A vast and stubborn wildfire that has proven California's biggest this year was expect to spew smoke through the long Labor Day weekend, leaving some campgrounds empty and prompting health warnings.

The fire that has burned 130 square miles east of Fresno is just one factor that has challenged people planning outdoor activities in recent weeks, officials said Friday.

An infestation of bugs swarmed high-desert communities on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. In addition, an 18-day manhunt along the famed Pacific Crest Trail ended with the suspect's death.

Katherine Yi of West Los Angeles leads groups of fledgling backpackers each summer in wilderness training classes through the High Sierra, but the large wildfire has forced her to cancel two recent outings.

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In this Aug. 21, 2015 photo, a firefighting crew member, background, stands beyond a firing operation burning the understory fuel along Highway 180 just north of the Hume Lake turnoff in the Sequoia National Forest. California’s largest wildfire burning near the popular Hume Lake in the Central Sierra Nevada is expected to rage through the holiday weekend, and the forestry officials encourage campers to set up their tents elsewhere. (Eric Paul Zamora/The Fresno Bee via AP)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/0c16a41e4f6d45d49a38de83f1568904/vast-stubborn-california-fire-rage-through-long-weekend