Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park

Fire doesn't deter tourists

A 26,000-acre wildfire burning about 12 miles west of Yosemite Valley has destroyed 12 homes and forced closure of the main road to Yosemite National Park on Monday, but has had little effect on the park beyond obscuring the stunning views and forcing visitors to take cold showers.

The blaze, dubbed the Telegraph Fire, cut power to Yosemite Valley, but backup generators have kept much of the park services open, including the Village Store and the Yosemite Lodge.

"We're going backpacking, so we were planning on being without electricity," said Steve Nichol of Salt Lake City as he plucked a bottle of water from the Village Store's cooler. "It's not really much of an issue."