As of August 28, the fire is 20% contained. Thousands of firefighters are still battling the blaze, which has burned 184,481 acres near Yosemite National Park.
The finding sheds new light on how regional climate has varied over time, providing information that could lead to more-accurate global climate models.
Wildlife officials have detected the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats from Arkansas. The fungus could reach the Rocky Mountains as early as 2015.