Sections of US national park closed indefinitely due to wildfire

LOS ANGELES - Sections of the Yosemite National Park, one of the most visited national parks located in the western US state of California, will remain closed indefinitely as a wildfire rages on nearby, said the park officials on Monday.

"Due to increased fire activity in the areas adjacent to and on Yosemite National Park, park administrators and fire managers have made the decision to extend the current park closures indefinitely," said the US National Park Service in a statement.

"Over the past 48 hours, fire has impacted all of the roads used to access Yosemite Valley, burning dead and downed trees that can become very explosive and fall without warning," added the statement.

The destructive fire began on July 13 and grew to 91,502 acres (around 370 square km) by Monday with only 38 percent contained, according to the latest update from the US Forest Service.

Around 2,700 personnel are battling the blaze on the scene, aided by more than 200 engines, 14 helicopters, 5 masticators and 33 dozers. The blaze has claimed two firefighters' lives and injured nine others in the past weeks.