Falling tree limb kills 2 at Yosemite

Two minors died in Yosemite early Friday morning when a limb from an oak tree fell on the tent in which they slept, officials announced.

The branch fell about 5 a.m. in Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley. Park rangers responded to provide medical assistance, but the victims were already dead. Authorities did not release any details about the campers, including their names, ages or hometowns.

“Our thoughts are with the families as they grieve this tragedy,” park Superintendent Don Neubacher said in a statement.

Park spokesman Scott Gediman on Friday morning declined to describe the size of the limb, citing a pending investigation.

Gediman said the campground is one of the parks most popular with a view of Half Dome. It was either near capacity or full when the tree limb fell.

California is parched as the state enters the fourth year of drought and temperatures in the park have been hovering in the 80s and 90s over the past month, causing dry conditions. The National Weather Service reports the temperature was 97 degrees in the park Thursday.

Last month, an 85-foot-tall tree fell in a Pasadena park, injuring eight children. The tree had root problems, was leaning and may have absorbed a heavy load of water from a recent storm, according to an arborist’s report released Thursday. Some roots were girdled, meaning they were twisted around the main stem of the tree instead of spreading out.

In 2012, a Yosemite concession employee died when his tent cabin was hit by a falling limb.

This story was originally published August 14, 2015 at 4:03 PM with the headline "Falling tree limb kills 2 at Yosemite."