Firefighters in the US are still battling ravaging fires, near the Yosemite National Park in California.  The fire started on Friday near the town of Mariposa Pines. The Oak Fire is west of Yosemite, which is well-known for its giant, ancient sequoia trees. It is being fuelled by extreme heat, dry forests and underbrush.

Evacuations: 

Over 3 000 people have, so far, been evacuated. More than 2 000 others have been placed under a fire advisory and could move soon. Air tankers, bulldozers and hand crews are still on the ground, battling the fast-moving blaze.

Ancient sequoia trees under threat:

Yosemite Park is about an hour’s drive from Mariposa County.  Some of the largest and oldest sequoia trees in the world can be found there.

Greek firefighters also battling:

In Greece, firefighters also have their hands full, battling blazes. On Saturday, there were 4 significant fires. Hotels and homes had to be evacuated to ensure the safety of people. Citizens also had to be evacuated from an island holiday resort, on the island of Lesbos.

Vulture under threat:

One of the biggest fires in Greece is burning in the northeast of the country, in the Dadia national forest, near the Turkey border. A rare species of vulture can be found in the forest

At this stage, about 200 lumberjacks are helping to cut firebreak paths through the forest. They are assisting hundreds of firefighters, dozens of fire engines, special planes, helicopters and volunteers.

More photos here:

https://www.euronews.com/2022/07/23/major-wildfires-sweep-through-north-south-east-greece

The cause of all the fires is still under investigation.