The historic Rim Fire continues to blaze in California for a 12th day on Wednesday, threatening San Francisco's drinking water, triggering emergency air quality warnings over 100 miles away and sparking further calls to 'connect the dots' of climate change and extreme weather events.
It has scorched through over 187,000 acres, and the fire's rapid growth, fueled by drought, has challenged the efforts of over 3500 firefighters, who have the fire 23% contained.
It is now the largest wildfire on record to hit California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range, notes weather historian, Christopher Burt.
"It's an event I could never have fathomed. The fire hasn't behaved like any fire we have seen before here," said Susan Skalski, a supervisor of the Stanislaus national forest service.
Felice Stadler and Beth Pratt of the National Wildlife Federation charge that now, as the wildfire continues to scorch thousands of acres, it's important to connect the dots between extreme weather eent and climate change.
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“We have a problem and we are out of time," said Stadler. "Failing to connect the dots is irresponsible for it downplays the urgency of the tragedies, such as extreme wildfires, that we are witnessing in Yosemite and other regions in the west."
"How much of Yosemite will we let burn before we act? asks NWF's Beth Pratt.
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The video below shows footage of the fire taken August 22 from the cockpit of an Air National Guard plane:
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