Fire in Stanislaus National Forest burns near Yosemite National Park

SONORA - Lightning started 10 fires in the Stanilsaus National Forest over the weekend, and the largest fire still burning covers about 600 acres in rocky terrain near North Mountain, the U.S. Forest Service said today.

The fire is on the north side of the Tuolumne River canyon in the Groveland Ranger District. It is moving toward the North Mountain peak. Yosemite National Park is a few miles to the east.

Smoke from the fire may affect people in Alpine, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne counties, the forest service said.

Most of the fires in the Stanislaus forest sparked by lightning Saturday burned only a single tree or a few acres.