Wildfire burning near Yosemite grows overnight to nearly 200 square miles

California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for a large and expanding wildfire burning near Yosemite National Park.

Other officials had asked for the move, including supervisors in Tuolumne County, who issued a resolution saying the threat posed by the growing fire was beyond their capabilities to handle.

The wildfire raging out of control grew overnight to more than three times the size of the city of San Francisco as it spread inside the border of Yosemite National Park.

The flames have also forced the evacuations of hundreds from homes.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Daniel Berlant said Friday the blaze had grown from 99 square miles to more than 165 square miles and was only 2 percent contained.

Berlant said the fire threatens about 4,500 residences.

While Yosemite remains open, the wildfire caused the closure of a 4-mile stretch of State Route 120, one of three entrances into Yosemite on the west side, devastating areas that rely on tourism.

It has destroyed two homes and seven outbuildings since breaking out on Saturday.