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Wildfire near Fresno grows as firefighters brace for hot, dry weather

California’s largest wildfire, a stubborn blaze in the Sierra Nevada that has forced officials to shut down camping in nearby Kings Canyon National Park, continued to grow Monday and forced Fresno County officials to impose mandatory evacuation orders.

The Rough fire, burning east of Fresno, spread to 95,183 acres, or nearly 149 square miles, according to the U.S. Forest Service. As of Monday evening, the fire was 31% contained, the agency said.

The nearly 2,000 firefighters who are deployed have contended with “extreme fire behavior” — including unpredictable winds, low humidity, high temperatures and rugged terrain — since the blaze was ignited July 31 by a lightning strike, said Jim Schwarber, a spokesman for the Rough fire from Alaska’s Division of Forestry.