Wildfires Close California's Highway 395

Just a couple weeks ago we drove down Highway 395 on our way home from the Sierras.

Fires started by lightning in Inyo National Forest caused as much as 115 miles of the 395 to close on Saturday, stretching from Bishop to Pearsonville. Many in the little town of Independence were evacuated to Lone Pine, as fire threatened the town. Big Pine was also threatened.

Many travelers heading to or from the Sierras scrambled for motel rooms last night. I guess it's a good thing we didn't spend Independence Day week in Bridgeport this year, as we'd considered before deciding on a mid-June visit, or we would have been stranded up north as well.

Today the 395 has reopened, although firefighters warn it could be closed again at any time, as the fires remain out of control.

It's extremely dry here in California this year, which unfortunately means that as the summer goes on we may see a lot more of the types of fires which have hit Inyo National Forest and Lake Tahoe.