Yosemite Fire: Crews Say Blaze 30% Contained

Firefighters battling a giant wildfire burning at the edge of Yosemite National Park have made progress in containing the blaze.

The US Forest Service says the so-called Rim Fire is 30% contained, up from 20% the previous day, with crews aided by higher humidity.

However, officials said a major road to the park had to be closed so fire crews could build containment lines along it.

This Nasa photo shows the extent of the fire in California

Officials shut down half of its main east-west corridor, just days before the Labour Day weekend marking the end of the peak summer tourist season.

A long stretch of Tioga Road through the western half of the park was closed on Wednesday as fire crews tightened their grip on the blaze.

The Rim Fire has burned through 300 square miles, destroyed more than 100 buildings, including 85 tent cabins at a camp run by the city of Berkeley.

It is one of the largest blazes in California on record

It also threatened San Francisco's water supplies, hydroelectric power and giant sequoias.

The fire is now expected to burn until September 10, according to officials.

The blaze has also unleashed a smoky haze that has worsened air quality more than 100 miles away in Nevada.

The fire has threatened water supplies

The plume from the fire also triggered emergency warnings in the Reno and Carson City area.

Schoolchildren were kept inside for the second time in a week, people went to hospitals complaining of eye and throat irritation and officials urged people to avoid all physical activity outdoors.

Nearly 4,000 people are involved in fighting the fire, which started during the afternoon on August 17.

Firefighters have also rushed to protect the historic groves of giant sequoia trees, some of the tallest and oldest trees on Earth, from the blaze.

Workers have removed leaf litter from the ground and installed sprinklers to dampen any flames.

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