The Rim fire burning in and around Yosemite National Park became the fourth-largest blaze in California history as it grew to 348 square miles Sunday, officials said.
The wildfire, which began Aug. 17, is 40% contained with more than 5,000 firefighters battling the flames, according to the U.S. Forest Service. A September 1932 fire in Ventura County that burned 343 square miles previously held the spot, Cal Fire said.
San Diego's 427-square-mile Cedar fire in Oct. 2003, which destroyed more than 2,800 structures and killed 14, remains the largest wildfire in state history. The blaze began as a signal fire set by a West Covina man who was separated from his companion on a deer hunting trip, according to Times archives.
Crews are making good progress on the Rim fire, particularly on the northwest side of the blaze, though local winds sparked new spot fires and the fire is continuing to expand to the northeast, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Trevor Augustino.
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