August 26th, 2013
04:50 AM ET

Yosemite fire burns area the size of Chicago

A northern California wildfire grew to historic proportions early Monday, becoming the 14th largest in state history.

The sprawling Rim Fire, which has devoured nearly 144,000 acres, has scorched an area about the size of the city of Chicago while more than 3,400 firefighters try to rein it in.

Susan Loesch and Curtis Evans just started settling into their second home in California's Sierra foothills a few months ago. Now, they're worried it could go up in smoke as the massive wildfire spreads.

FULL STORY

Filed under: U.S. • Weather
soundoff (11 Responses)
  1. Jack o Jimenez

    Wish it was Chicago. Sorry...

    August 26, 2013 at 11:17 am | Report abuse |
  2. saywhat

    All power to the firefighters and may they remain safe.

    August 26, 2013 at 1:23 pm | Report abuse |
  3. allthingsgeography1

    Reblogged this on All Things Geography.

    August 26, 2013 at 2:18 pm | Report abuse |
  4. chrissy

    Thats not nice to wish on ANYONE!

    August 26, 2013 at 4:34 pm | Report abuse |
  5. BOMBO

    Yes. 14th largest is historic.

    August 26, 2013 at 7:16 pm | Report abuse |
  6. BOMBO

    Yosemite always reminds me of the Looney Toons character. But when I was a kid I didn't know what Yosemite was. I figured they were calling him "Sammedy Sam" on the cartoons.

    August 26, 2013 at 7:20 pm | Report abuse |
  7. rupert

    Thats very interesting bombo
    Thnk u

    August 26, 2013 at 8:45 pm | Report abuse |
  8. the cow that kicked over the lantern

    Moo

    August 26, 2013 at 9:14 pm | Report abuse |
  9. rupert

    Mooo!

    August 26, 2013 at 9:16 pm | Report abuse |
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