LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (AP) – Yosemite National Park will reopen Tuesday, 14 days after a wildfire choked the park with smoke at the peak of tourist season.
Park spokesman Scott Gediman said Friday visitors should expect limited hours and visitor services as the park returns to normal.
The scenic Yosemite Valley and other areas have been closed since July 25 along with hundreds of campsites and hotels.
Though the blaze didn’t reach the heart of the park, it burned in remote areas, making roads inaccessible and polluting the area with smoke.
The closure has dealt a financial blow to Yosemite at the height of the summer season and caused upheaval for thousands of tourists whose summer trips were canceled.
The 150-square mile (388-square kilometer) fire that started on July 13 is now 80 percent contained.
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