The largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park remained closed Saturday as firefighters battled a blaze that threatened the gathering of the iconic trees and forced hundreds of campers to evacuate.

The rest of the park in California remained open, though smoke that hung in the air obscured some of the most scenic vistas and views.

More than 500 mature sequoias were threatened in the Mariposa Grove but as of Saturday afternoon there were no reports of severe damage to any named trees, including the 3,000-year-old Grizzly Giant. Some of the massive trunks were wrapped in fire-resistant foil for protection as the blaze burned out of control.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Beyond the trees, the small community of Wawona, which is surrounded by park and a campground, was under threat, with people ordered to leave their homes and campsites on Friday night.

The fire was proving difficult to contain, with firefighters throwing “every tactic imaginable" at it, said Nancy Phillipe, a Yosemite fire information spokesperson. That included air drops of fire retardant as well as the planned use of bulldozers to create fire lines, a tactic that's rarely used in a wilderness setting like Yosemite, Phillipe said.

The bulldozers would primarily be used to put in fire lines to protect Wawona, she said. About 600 to 700 people who were staying at the Wawona campground in tents, cabins and an historic hotel were ordered to leave.

Though firefighters were facing hot and dry conditions, they didn't have to contend with intense winds on Saturday, said Jeffrey Barlow, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Hanford. Given the relatively small size of the fire and minimal winds, smoke impacts were not expected to stretch far beyond the park, he said.

The giant sequoias, native in only about 70 groves spread along the western slope of California’s Sierra Nevada range, were once considered impervious to flames but have become increasingly vulnerable as wildfires fueled by a buildup of undergrowth from a century of fire suppression and drought exacerbated by climate change have become more intense and destructive.

Lightning-sparked wildfires over the past two years have killed up to a fifth of the estimated 75,000 large sequoias, which are the biggest trees by volume.

There was no obvious natural spark for the fire that broke out Thursday next to the park’s Washburn Trail, Phillipe said. Smoke was reported by visitors walking in the grove that reopened in 2018 after a $40 million renovation that took three years.

The fire had grown to about 1.9 square miles (4.8 square kilometers) by Saturday evening.

A fierce windstorm ripped through the grove a year-and-a-half ago and toppled 15 giant sequoias, along with countless other trees.

The downed trees, along with massive numbers of pines killed by bark beetles, provided ample fuel for the flames.

The park has used prescribed burns to clear brush around the sequoias, which helps protect them if flames spread farther into the grove.

Meanwhile, most evacuation orders were lifted Saturday in the Sierra foothills about 80 miles (128 kilometers) to the northwest of the Yosemite fire, where a fire broke out on July 4. The Electra Fire that began near Jackson was mostly contained, and only areas directly within the fire's perimeter remained under evacuation orders, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

One statistic tells the whole story pretty well: 15 feet of snow.

Some parts of Yosemite National Park are buried under that much frozen precipitation. As a result, the entire park is closed.

And the National Park Service (NPS) has yet to announce when it might open back up.

Pictures on a recent tweet from Yosemite's official Twitter account show the pile-up, with some buildings half-buried.

On its website Thursday afternoon, the park said: "Yosemite has experienced significant snowfall in all areas of the park, resulting in snow depths up to 15 feet in some areas.

"Park crews are working to restore critical services so visitors can safely return. There is no estimated date for reopening."

Some other full and partial closures

Yosemite, nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, is not the only NPS site affected by the recent winter storms. Others are also closed, either fully or partially.

Here's a look at the status of some other popular places in California as of 4 p.m. PT Thursday:

• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: To the south of Yosemite, "nearly all park roads remain closed while road crews continue working to recover from winter storms."

• Redwood National and State Parks: In far Northern California on the Pacific Coast, you're still mostly out of luck. "Due to multiple storms causing downed trees and power outages, there are closures throughout the park."

Desert areas haven't necessarily fared better.

• Mojave National Preserve: All roads in the preserve have been closed since Wednesday and will stay closed until further notice, the preserve says on its website. "Please do not drive in the area or go around barricades. Travel in the eastern Mojave region is very unsafe."

Its Twitter account showed a video of near-blizzard conditions there on Wednesday.

• Death Valley National Park: Even California's proverbial oven has been affected, with some roads closed because of winter storm conditions. Other roads and trails are still closed because of "damage and debris from major flooding this summer."

There are bright spots, however.

• Joshua Tree National Park: Not far from Palm Springs, this park reopened Thursday after a brief closure. "All the main roads are now open. Campgrounds, visitor centers and hiking trails are open. Water and ice may be present on the roads; drive cautiously. All dirt roads are closed and will reopen when cleared.

• California state parks: As of Thursday afternoon, 14 state parks were fully closed, and another 34 were partially closed. But with more than 280 park units in the system, plenty of options remain. Click here for the latest updates.

Beyond California

It's not just the Golden State grappling with winter weather.

For instance, Grand Canyon National Park warned would-be visitors on Thursday morning: "Postpone travel today. There are many regional road closures this morning. All trails into Grand Canyon and footpaths along the rim are snow-packed and icy. Foot traction is advised."

The bottom line: Check any park's site before heading out. (Well, Everglades is a pretty safe bet regarding winter weather right now.)

And remember that just because a park remains open, it may not be easy to access. Be sure your vehicle is winter-ready and that you're well-equipped with the proper gear and clothing.

Yosemite National Park officials are reminding people not to approach or feed wildlife.

A girl was injured while approaching a buck that was being fed by another visitor, according to a post on the national park's Facebook page.

"The buck spooked and its antlers connected with the girl's arm, causing a deep laceration and chest abrasions," the post says. It goes on to say the girl was treated at the park and then taken to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Park officials remind visitors that it's illegal to feed or approach wildlife in Yosemite.

"While some animals, including deer, might get used to people approaching them, they spook easily and will defend themselves if people get too close or startle them," the post says.