The wildfire started Friday around 2pm local time near the Sierra Nevada foothills and has burned more than 9,500 acres since Saturday afternoon. The fire grew from 1,600 acres on Friday to 6,555 acres on Saturday morning.
The fire has destroyed ten residential and commercial areas and more than 2,000 buildings are still in danger.
The wildfire has resulted in road closures, including Highway 140, one of the main roads into Yosemite.
Local residents in the area share photos of a huge pyrocumulus cloud on social media.
In extreme circumstances, forest fires can create their own weather system due to the increasing wind and heat in the area.
The smoke creates a pyrocumulus cloud that can send soot and other pollution high into the atmosphere.
Andy Bollenbatcher, a meteorologist with the US National Weather Service, has said the cloud has reached heights of more than 30,000 feet.
More than 6,000 people have been ordered to evacuate the area, but no injuries or deaths have been reported.
Evacuation centers have been set up at Mariposa Elementary School and Sierra Foothill Charter School.
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The California Fire Department said in its Saturday morning update, “Explosive fire behavior is a challenge for firefighters.”
They use waterdrop helicopters, bulldozers and even firefighting planes to control the fire.
The fire is currently contained “zero percent” and officials say it could take a week to get the wildfire under control.
Robert Foxworthy, a public information officer for the California Fire Department, has said that “high temperatures, low humidity, and extremely dry fuels … in steep, rugged terrain” have contributed to the wildfire’s rapid growth.
Daniel Patterson, a spokesman for the Sierra National Forest, said climate change has led to bigger and deadlier wildfires in California as the area has grown hotter and drier over the past 30 years.
He stated: “The fire is moving fast. This fire yesterday threw glowing embers up to three kilometers in front of it. These are exceptional fire conditions.”