High winds likely to push flames further into Yosemite

The raging wildfire burning through a remote section of Yosemite National Park has gained strength, threatening nearby communities as well as water and electrical resources for San Francisco.

High winds are likely to fan the flames further north into the park Sunday.

"The wind could push it further up north and northeast into Yosemite and closer to those communities and that is a big concern for us," said Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire has stayed at a size of roughly 203 square miles since last night.

Fire crews are clearing brush and setting sprinklers to protect two groves of giant sequoias threatened by the blaze, AP reported late Saturday. The trees grow naturally only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada and are among the largest and oldest living things on earth.

"All of the plants and trees in Yosemite are important, but the giant sequoias are incredibly important both for what they are and as symbols of the National Park System," park spokesman Scott Gediman said Saturday.