Labor Day Weekend A Bust

Yosemite, CA — Yosemite National Park Officials report the number of visitors dropped in half during the holiday weekend thanks to the Rim Fire.

Ranger Scott Gediman says, “We certainly did see a slowdown in the number of visitors. We don’t have exact numbers yet. However, we had campsites and hotel rooms that were empty, and no crowds. It was about a 50% drop.”

Gediman attributes the decrease in tourism to fear of the Rim Fire and the smoke filled skies which kept visitors away. More than 78,000 acres has burned inside the park to date.