FRESNO, Calif. – The Latest on wildfires burning in the west (all times local):

10:55 a.m.

A Yosemite National Park official says Highway 140 into Yosemite Valley from Mariposa is closed as a stubborn wildfire rages several dozen miles from the park.

All other entrances to the park are open.

Park spokesman Scott Gediman says the fire is about 35 miles from Yosemite boundaries at the closest. Gediman says power was out for a while Tuesday night because of the fire, but is back on, and internet and some cellphone coverage is out Wednesday.

Gediman says the park has visitors Wednesday and no big problems because of the fire. The park is recommending that visitors with breathing difficulties consider there may be extra smoke and ash in the air

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8:15 a.m.

A stubborn wildfire burning in the rugged mountains outside Yosemite National Park has placed nearly 1,500 structures under threat Wednesday.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says that the fire nearly doubled in size overnight and has now scorched roughly 71 square miles (183 square kilometres).

Roughly 5,000 people are under evacuation orders as the fire burns in steep terrain with dense vegetation.

No injuries have been reported, but the fire has destroyed eight structures.

The fire is also threatening powerlines that provide electricity to the park.

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This story has been corrected to put the number of structures threatened to 1,500 and to correct the time to 8:15 a.m.

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4:30 a.m.

As wildfires rage throughout the western U.S., one California blaze in the rugged mountains outside of Yosemite National Park destroyed eight structures and forced thousands of nearby residents to flee their homes.

As of Tuesday evening, the fire had scorched 39 square miles (101 square kilometres), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The blaze burning since Sunday was making its way to the hills on the edge of Mariposa, a town of about 2,000 people under a mandatory evacuation order.

The Northern California blaze is threatening at least 1,500 homes as well as powerlines that provide electricity to the park, officials said. The park remained open Tuesday but several roads frequented by tourists were closed.