Photo courtesy NPS.
With only 50% of the Big Meadow Fire contained and its rapid growth to the Tioga Road in the North, the National Park Service is estimating the cost of the fire to be around $5,000,000.
Released in the Yosemite Daily Report, the $5 million price tag is the accumulated cost of the crews and machinery working the fire. Currently there are 94 engines, 11 helicopters, 6 air tankers, 8 bulldozers, 12 water tenders, and over 900 personnel manning the fire lines.
Of the 50 structures, 1 commercial business and 25 outbuildings threatened none have been destroyed and only 2 minor injuries have been reported.