Plague, Wildfire Shut Down Access To Yosemite, Campgrounds
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (KPIX 5) -- Fire and the plague have made getting to and around Yosemite National Park difficult for summer campers.
The Walker Fire, burning within a mile of the Tioga Pass, has forced the closure of Highway 120 and blocked access to the park. There is no access from Highway 395 either. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes and check the park's website for current conditions.
Nearby residents may be evacuated soon. A Code Red Emergency Alert notice has been issued for Lee Vining and residents who live north of Double Eagle.
Making matters worse, park rangers found two plague-infected squirrels near Tuolumne Meadows, forcing the closure of the campground until at least Friday.
The plague is carried by rodents and spread by the fleas on infected rodents.
Crews were treating the area with a flea-killing insecticide.
State health officials have issued warnings about human plague in the park ever since a child from Los Angeles contracted the disease. The child camped at the Crane Flat Campground in Yosemite last month. That campground was closed for 4 days and reopened on Friday.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the child has recovered.
Officials insist transmission to humans is rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control, plague symptoms include high fever, chills, weakness and swollen lymph nodes.
