COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) -- Authorities say a Coast Guard helicopter working by the light of a nearly full moon has plucked two lost hikers, including one from San Diego, from cliffs along the southern Oregon Coast.

The Coos County sheriff's office says the hikers got disoriented Sunday in dense forest south of Cape Arago State Park and called authorities after dark.

Deputies spotted their cellphone flashing light, and the Coast Guard sent the helicopter. Before midnight it hoisted them.

The sheriff's office said high clouds and the moonlight made ideal conditions for a nighttime rescue.

The hikers had food and appropriate clothing, but had run out of water. They were unharmed and returned to their car.

They were identified as 19-year-old Michael Klemm of Fort Worth, Texas and 37-year-old Troy Wery of San Diego, California.

A one-time local wrestling coach was sentenced Monday to 40 years in prison in the shooting death of another man.

A San Diego county jury convicted Jeret Needham of murder. His defense attorney had argued the shooting was self-defense, but prosecutors persuaded jurors it was a revenge killing.

Needham surrendered to police last September on the day officers found the victim’s body in the backyard of a home on Denver Street in Bay Park.

He was charged with shooting Robert Colgrove, 45, in connection to an argument that apparently arose over a woman.

“My client, Mr. Needham, was getting off the couch. His hand went back and accidentally made some contact with the female’s body purely by accident,” the victim’s attorney, Kerry Armstrong, said last fall. “At the time, there was very little discussion about it. He said he was sorry, and she said, ‘no problem.’”

Friends of the victim attended Monday’s sentencing to show their support of the victim whom some of them said was painted in a negative light.

“Mostly I’m just glad that it’s over,” said friend Don Garriott. “There was a bad decision that day by both man to engage in an altercation.”

"Robert Colegrove was the love of my life. We loved each other very much and he's not here now to tell anybody,” echoed Colegrove’s girlfriend, Tara Jones. “To say he loves you or hug you or kiss you or say anything. Robert was a wonderful individual."

As part of the sentence, Needham also must pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines and court fees.
 

A Flash Flood Warning has been issued for Borrego Springs and surrounding areas as well as south central Riverside County.

The alert goes through 2 p.m. PT Monday.

The rain falling with this storm ranges from 1.5 inches to 2 inches per hour. Flooding was possible along State Route 22.

A flash flood warning means a flash flood is imminent or occurring in the warned area.

If you live or travel in an area under a flash flood warning, get to high ground. Do not cross streams on foot where water is above your ankles.

Do not attempt to drive through water-filled areas of unknown depths. If your vehicle stalls in rising water, get out of it and get to safety. Many people become trapped by trying to move a stalled vehicle.

A problematic water line that caused at least $160,000 in damage is fixed, but clean-up is far from over.

Kearny Mesa residents are still grappling with damage from an enormous flood that washed through their neighborhood, thanks to a break in an 18-inch cast iron water main last Wednesday. The incident left about 2,600 customers without water, including four hospitals.

The more than 700,000 gallons of water – which flowed waist-deep in some areas – swamped eight garages, one belonging to Victor Horbaniuk.

“I just didn’t realize that it was so involved,” he said Monday, surveying the now-dry damage. “There’s so much that needs to be done. There’s a long way to go I think.”

Horbaniuk said luckily, almost everything ruined is replaceable, like tools, batteries and other household items.

Restoration crews have been out along Meadow Lark Drive in the Birdland community through the weekend, cleaning up the mess. Horbaniuk told NBC 7 that workers arrive first thing in the morning and stay until 9 p.m. or later.

Even so, more must be done.

Greg Bych with the city’s risk management department estimates the structure damage to each garage is roughly $20,000: $160,000 in total. That includes the city contractor’s work cutting out damaged drywall, wood, insulation and making sure the area sterilized before replacing it.

However, that dollar amount does not cover the value of damaged content inside, which residents have to tally up and submit in a claim to the city.

"I understand I can even file a claim for the electricity they're using because everything they've been using, they've plugging into my electrical outlets,” Horbaniuk said of the clean-up crews. “So I'm kind of waiting until the dust settles and then I'll file my claim once I see what is involved."

Bych said both the residents and the city have to agree on damage estimates before any cash is shelled out. Once the agreement is made, a resident should have a check within a week.

It could take months before the last claim is submitted, at which point the city will have a complete total of the water main break’s cost, according to Bych.

The city sets aside money from its public liability fund to pay for damages caused by water and sewer line breaks.

A U.S. Marine and his wife got a chance Monday to thank the doctor that saved their baby's life by performing a complicated surgery just days after his birth.

Elijah Diaz-White was born with a rare heart defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which means he only had half a heart.

“It was troubling. We were a little afraid, but we just decided to put it in God’s hands and he took care of it,” said Elijah’s father Devin White, who is stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

At just three days old Elijah underwent a complex procedure called a Norwood operation at the hands of Dr. Daniel Dibardino, a pediatric cardiovascular surgeon at Rady Children’s Hospital.

“We have re-routed everything in and around the heart to be able to function with the half that he was born with,” said Dibardino.

Adding to the stress, the couple lives miles from their families’ home in Colorado.

But the new parents said the doctors and nurses and the Naval Medical Center and Rady Children’s Hospital stepped right in to fill the void.

“They threw a party for my son. We did a lot, and they were able to be the support system for my son,” Elijah’s mother Ali Diaz said.

To date, Elijah has been through two surgeries, but on Monday, the 7-month-old went to the hospital for a happy occasion: a reunion with Dibardino.

“To have him already go through so much for a little baby and be doing so well, that is the best part of the job,” said the doctor.

And this surgeon’s job isn’t quite done. Elijah will need one more surgery sometime between age 3 and 5.

In the meantime – little Elijah will be doing what babies do – including resting up a bit.

“He learns so fast, He’s so happy, he’s a really good kid,” said Diaz.

The success rate for these surgeries is very high, in part because unlike a heart transplant, there is no risk of rejection of the tissue.

Elijah appears to be feeling pretty well, even if he did take a snooze during the reunion.

Sporting his characteristic glasses and baseball cap, the serial bank robbery dubbed as “The Hills Bandit” was again caught on camera as he continued his crime spree across San Diego and Orange counties, according to the FBI.

To date, the unknown man has been tied to nine robberies and attempted robberies in Southern California.

The last two heists were Monday. The FBI says the suspect first tried to take money from the Union Bank at 7807 Girard Avenue in La Jolla. For some reason, the attempt was unsuccessful, though investigators did not explain why.

Undaunted, The Hills Bandit traveled to Laguna Hills, where he held up a Wells Fargo Bank the same day. As in previous heists, he passed a demand note to the teller that threatened he had a weapon, but no weapon was displayed, the FBI says. This time, he escaped with cash.

Officials believe this is the same suspect whose robbery spree started in May.

Since then, he has robbed banks in San Diego, Carlsbad, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, and Laguna Hills.

The Hills Bandit is described as a white man between 40 and 50 years old, standing 5-foot-6 to 6-feet tall and weighing between 180 and 190 pounds.

In every robbery, he has worn a Raiders, Chargers or Titleist baseball hat, and he has been seen carrying a blue bank deposit bag. In the latest robberies, he wore a red LA Angels hat.

Witnesses told officials they saw a silver car in two of the incidents.

Agencies across the region are trying to help the FBI locate this criminal, including the San Diego and Carlsbad police departments.

If you know anything about this suspect, call the FBI San Diego at (858) 320-1800, the FBI Los Angeles at (310) 477-6565 or give an anonymous tip through CrimeStoppers at (888) 580-8477.

The FBI released new surveillance video of the suspect, which you can see below: 

Aaron Hernandez is looking to have his personal cell phone, and all text messages and evidence found on it, thrown out of the Odin Lloyd murder trial.

Attorneys for the former Patriots tight end says that police did not have the proper authority or search warrant to take his cell phone from their law office, only from Hernandez's North Attleboro, Massachusetts, home.

The defense team says that Massachusetts State Police should have returned to the clerk's office to get a new search warrant before seizing the phone.

"The defense in this case is trying to exclude the cell phone of Aaron Hernandez by alleging that the government mislead Aaron Hernandez's lawyer Michael Fee into giving them the cell phone even though they didn't have the authority to seize it," NECN legal analyst Randy Chapman said. "This motion as compared to any other motion goes to the heart of the government’s case. If the defense is successful in excluding evidence, it will have a very devastating effect on the government's case." 

• CLICK HERE to read the full motion.

Bristol County Prosecutors had no comment citing the ongoing gag order, but will file a written response sometime soon.

Just recently, the judge threw out cell phones and iPads from the same trial.

Hernandez has pleaded not guilty to Lloyd's 2013 murder.

He has also pleaded not guilty to the 2012 double murder of Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in Boston.

NECN will have more as this story develops.

When NFL playoff berths are awarded four months from now, teams that are on the outside looking in will invariably lament their inability to hold leads in the fourth quarter.

The Chargers hope to have plenty of more leads to hold this season. They will need to do a better job of securing victory than they did on Monday night.

They squandered an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, dropping a heartbreaker to the host Arizona Cardinals, 18-17.

Philip Rivers threw for 238 yards and a touchdown, but was unable to drive the Chargers to a game-winning score after the defense allowed two touchdown passes in the final quarter.

Malcolm Floyd caught the lone TD for the Bolts, snagging a six-yard pass from Rivers on the first drive of the second half. He had four catches for 50 yards on the night.

Ryan Mathews (12 carries for 40 yards) followed that up with a 20-yard touchdown scamper on the following possession. That gave the Bolts a seemingly safe 17-6 lead midway through the third quarter.

But Carson Palmer drove the Cardinals down for two scores, including the game-winner, a 13-yard toss to John Brown with 2:25 left.

Antonio Gates led the Chargers with six catches for 81 yards. He had a key 34-yard reception on third down that kept a fourth-quarter drive alive as they clung to a five-point lead. But Rivers fumbled a snap three plays later for a 14-yard loss that resulted in a punt.

The Bolts trailed 6-3 at the half after missing multiple chances to score touchdowns. A blocked punt midway through the second half gave them the ball on the Arizona 39. But their drive stalled and they settled for a 36-yard field goal by Nick Novak.

San Diego had the ball in Cardinals territory twice more in the first half, but failed to score on both drives. The second ended in a Philip Rivers interception that led to a Chandler Catanzaro field goal for the Cards to end the half.

It's the second straight season-opening loss on Monday night for the Chargers. They gave up a late lead last year in a 31-28 loss to the Houston Texans.

The Chargers host the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

 San Diego Police are investigating a report of a potential attempted rape after a man attacked a woman walking alone in the Mission Hills area. 

The incident was reported around 9:10 p.m. Monday on West Washington Street near India Street, not far from the Luche Libre Taco Shop. 

Police say the woman was walking to her car when a man came up and grabbed her. 

It's unclear what happened from there, but the woman got a look at her assailant.

A police helicopter was sent to the sky in an attempt to find the suspect, and officers in the air broadcast his description: a light-skinned man in his 20s, about 6-feet tall with a muscular build.

He was wearing a black hat with brown hair sticking out from underneath it and a black shirt, police say.

The victim's condition has not been released.

Was the man crushed by a branch while trimming a tree an employee of the company or a contract worker?

That was the question debated during a preliminary hearing Monday against Three Frogs of La Mesa.

Joshua Pudsey, 42, was killed on the job in November 2013. Pudsey was on an aerial lift trimming a 60-foot eucalyptus tree. He was not licensed to trim trees at that height.

Pudsey was working for Three Frogs, a real estate investment firm that buys, renovates and sells homes for profit.

Prosecutors say the Three Frogs executives – David Wolf, John Murphy and Jonathan Cox – violated OSHA safety regulations and workers insurance laws.

Monday was the first day of the three-day preliminary hearing. Much of the day was spent arguing whether Pudsey was an independent contractor or an employee of the company.

This victim’s mother says that doesn’t matter.

“I hope Three Frogs is listening because they're still in the real estate business and they're still flipping houses. I don't know that a whole lot has changed, other than my son is dead and he doesn't work for them anymore,” Debbi Anderson said.

The defense did not comment. The defendants face four years in prison if convicted.

Pudsey’s girlfriend was pregnant with his child when he died.

The husband of an obese Bronx woman who died in Hungary after three airlines refused to let her board a plane to return to the U.S. has settled a $6 million lawsuit with the companies, according to NBC News.

Vilma Soltesz, 56, traveled with her husband, Janos Soltesz, to her native Hungary in October of 2012 to see family. Vilma Soltesz, who weighed more than 400 lbs. and was diabetic and in a wheelchair, became more sick while overseas and her doctor told her to return to New York immediately.

But at the airport, the skylift -- a machine airlines use to transport people onto the plane -- was broken. KLM Airline said she couldn't board. Two other airlines, Delta and Lufthansa, told her the same thing. 

"He just look at her and said, 'No, I'm not taking her,'" said Janos Soltesz after the ordeal. "I was crushed."

The couple searched for other ways to get home to her doctor but Vilma Soltesz died in Hungary.

"She just went to sleep. She never woke up," he said. "She was my life." 

In November 2012, Janos Soltesz filed a $6 million lawsuit against the airlines, alleging recklessness, wrongful death and gross negligence. The case was settled out of court on Aug. 27., NBC News reports. 

A Temecula wedding photographer whose ALS video went viral, drawing worldwide attention, received renewed stardom Monday appearing on “The Ellen Show.”

Anthony Carbajal can now boast that his ice bucket challenge led Ellen DeGeneres to get drenched on national television.

The two, hand-in-hand, were soaked with icy water at the end of the “The Ellen Show” premiere.

“It’s very cold!” she said.

Carbajal’s YouTube video, which has now amassed more than 16 million views, gave a personal look at his ALS diagnosis at the age of 26 and growing up with a mother and grandmother with the debilitating disease.

The emotional video starts off light-hearted, with Carbajal dressed in pink short shorts and a tank top. He nominated Miley Cyrus and the Ellen DeGeneres to do the ice bucket challenge.

“Why did you nominate me?” DeGeneres asked Carbajal during the premiere.

He said that while he’d take care of his mom, they had an afternoon tradition.

“At 4 o’clock we’d always watch ‘Ellen,’” he said.

During his appearance, Carbajal also was presented with a $100,000 donation, thanks to Shutterfly. He told DeGeneres that the experience has been “life-changing.”

DeGeneres appeared just as grateful.

“Thank you for nominating me,” DeGeneres said.

She nominated Kim Kardashian, who’s set to appear on her show on Tuesday, and Beyonce.

You can watch Ellen’s ice bucket challenge here:

DUI charges have been filed against California State Sen. Ben Hueso in Sacramento.

The state senator faces one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence and one misdemeanor count of driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher.

Hueso, a Democrat from San Diego, holds the 40th Senate District seat.

The 44-year-old lawmaker was allegedly driving the wrong way on a one-way street near the state capitol building on Aug. 22, KCRA reports.

Surveillance video from a Sacramento gas station shows a California Highway Patrol officer pulling over Hueso and conducting sobriety tests on him.

He was booked into the Sacramento County Jail and released on bond.

The day after his arrest, Hueso released a statement which read, in part, “I am truly and profoundly sorry for the unacceptably poor personal judgment which I demonstrated last night.”

Hueso represents Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach, Coronado, a portion of the city of San Diego, Imperial County and the southern part of Riverside.

He is scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 18.
 

A shoplifter trying to smuggle high-end items out of a San Diego Home Depot used an improvised flamethrower to ward off employees while his wife and baby waited in a getaway car outside, San Diego County Sheriff’s investigators told NBC 7.

Ignacio Lorenzo Brambila, 37, of Lakeside told NBC 7 in a jailhouse interview Monday that he does not remember a lot of what happened Saturday night around 10 p.m., when he allegedly went to the Home Depot in the 12000 block of Tech Center Drive in Poway.

"Things just kinda went, went a little the wrong way," said Brambila. "Things didn't happen right. I mean, everything that got put on me and [his wife]-- I think they try to put anything they can on you, everything they can on you."

Sheriff's department spokesperson Jan Caldwell said Brambila was pushing a stroller, and he put expensive tools from the store in it.

As Brambila neared the exit, workers noticed the suspect had equipment, not a baby, in the stroller and confronted him.

Poised with an aerosol can and lighter in hand, Brambila sprayed the flammable contents over the flame, creating a "street flamethrower" in a large fiery blast aimed at the workers, Caldwell said.

The employees backed off, and Brambila ran to the parking lot, authorities say. There, his wife of 17 years, Sarrah Brambila, 34, waited in a vehicle with their 18-month-old child in the backseat, according to Caldwell.

The trio sped off, but just a few blocks away, deputies caught up with their vehicle and arrested the Brambilas.

Caldwell says deputies found the stolen tools in the back of the vehicle.

No one was injured in the incident.

"This is different — to do something as brazen, to go through a store and just put things in a baby stroller, and then to walk out as though they own the place," said Caldwell.

Child Protective Services took the baby and the couple’s 12-year-old twins, who were not with them at the time, into protective custody.

With black and blue eyes, Brambila claimed Monday that four or five inmates beat him up because they found out he was accused of child cruelty -- something the suspect adamantly denies.

"I've never placed my children in harm's way on purpose, or I don't see how they were -- any of them," said Brambila. Despite our questions, he did not address the other charges against him.

Brambila, a roofer, was booked into jail on charges of robbery, assault with intent to commit a felony, conspiracy to commit a crime, child cruelty and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Sarrah, who has an active registered nursing license, was held on charges of robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, child cruelty and assault with intent to commit a felony. NBC 7 has reached out to her for an interview but have not heard back.

Both suspects are being held on $100,000 bail and are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.

It's unclear if they have attorneys. Detectives are trying to determine if they are connected to other crimes.

People who visited San Diego earlier this year may want to take a closer look at their credit card activity.

Bartell Hotels has announced a data security breach at five of their San Diego-area hotels: Best Western Plus Island Palms Hotel & Marina, The Dana on Mission Bay, Humphreys Half Moon Inn & Suites, Pacific Terrace Hotel and Days Hotel – Hotel Circle.

Guests who visited these hotels between Feb. 16 and May 13 may have had their names, credit card numbers and credit card expiration dates compromised, according to Bartell Hotels. The company said no other information was exposed.

They are in the process of notifying the 43,000 to 55,000 people who could have been affected.

Customers can call 877-437-4010 Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT with questions of concerns. They can also have a fraud alert placed on their files with the major credit bureaus.
 

Friends and staff at Lauderbach Elementary in Chula Vista are mourning the loss of a teacher's aide who died in a motorcycle crash.

Sarah Mata, 27, was riding on the back of a motorcycle when the driver lost control early Saturday morning in Chula Vista. Mata died at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.

School staff says Mata’s death is a huge loss for the Lauderbach family.

“I always cherish the memories we had,” said Chona Silva, a school volunteer. “Go on and spread your wings until we meet again up there.”

Silva is collecting cards and letters for Mata’s family to read at her viewing on Sunday.

“This was her school. These were her students,” Lauderbach Elementary Principal Alex Cortes said. “She always came in with a smile and always wanted to make sure to say ‘hi’ to the kids and make sure to say ‘hi’ to all of us. So even though she was moving on to other things, she knew that this was her family here.”

On Saturday, the motorcycle drifted off the road near southbound Interstate 5 and E Street.

CHP arrested driver, Jose Diaz, for suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Diaz was also driving on a suspended license, according to officers.

Mata served as the noon duty supervisor, watching students during lunch, recess and after school. Lauderbach staff says the children loved her and that she was very dedicated to her students.

She leaves behind her 9-year-old daughter and 6–year-old son.

“I can’t believe it,” Chona said. “I keep crying and crying. I don’t know what to say, and I was just so shocked to hear about it. Thinking about her kids.”

Diaz will be charged after he is released from the UCSD Medical Center. He faces a maximum of 10 years behind bars.

“I am angry because they are adults,” Silva said. “They should know better and if that’s a friend, he wouldn’t let her get in on the bike. I’m upset.”

Friends are planning a car wash fundraiser for Mata at a gas station near E street and Broadway this Wednesday.

The FBI arrested three Mexican citizens, including a father and son who worked as police officers, in the 2013 execution-style murder of drug-cartel lawyer Juan Guerrero-Chapa in Southlake, several law enforcement sources told NBC 5.

Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano Jr., 30, his father, Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda, 57, and his father’s cousin, Jose Luis Cepeda-Cortes, 58, were arrested in McAllen, Texas the sources said.

The father and son were arrested after crossing into the United States from Mexico. Cepeda had been living in McAllen, according to the sources.

Guerrero was gunned down in broad daylight near the Victoria’s Secret as he and his wife returned to their car from shopping.

The FBI and other federal agencies joined Southlake's Department of Public Safety in the search for the killers.

"I think the arrests actually show the federal agencies are working very effectively with local and state law enforcement officials in order to arrest individuals that have caused a great deal of harm or fear of crime to society," Tarleton State University criminal justice professor Alex del Carmen said.

Investigators said from the beginning the murder had all the markings of a professional hit.

NBC 5 reported soon after the shooting that Guerrero had been an informant for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations.

According to his indictment, Ledezma stalked Guerrero for more than two years before he was murdered. Ledezma was indicted on a charge of interstate stalking. Details of the charges against the other two men were not immediately released.

The father and son were police officers in San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico, which is a suburb of Monterrey, the third-largest city in Mexico, according to Mexican news reports and records obtained by NBC 5.

Guerrero and his family were also from the same city.

In September 2012, the Monterrey newspaper Reporte Indigo reported that Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda was in charge of internal affairs for San Pedro Police and ran an intelligence operation which included eavesdropping on telephone calls. The article also claimed that he was suspected of sharing secret information with the Beltran Leyva drug cartel.

Payroll records obtained by NBC 5 also show Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano Jr. was a police officer in San Pedro Garza Garcia as recently as March 2010.

Southlake police and federal agents plan to release more information at a news conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Two EMTs were injured when their ambulance was struck by another vehicle along Interstate 5 in Del Mar Tuesday.

The California Highway Patrol arrested a man after his white sedan slammed into the back of the emergency vehicle that was traveling northbound on I-5 around 1:30 a.m.

The collision damaged the rear bumper of the ambulance and started a car fire that damaged the front half of the sedan. The EMT's were inside the ambulance at the time of the crash.

CHP blocked off northbound lanes to traffic between Del Mar Heights Road and Via de la Valle.

The employees of Air Care International were treated at the scene, put on stretchers and then taken to a nearby hospital by another ambulance.

San Diego Fire-Rescue arrived and put out the car fire.

The driver was taken into custody without serious injuries. CHP officers say he’ll face charges for driving under the influence.
 

The Yosemite National Park's "Meadow" fire hit 2,600 acres on Monday - about four times larger than previously estimated by federal fire crews, and evacuation orders were still in place for many hikers itching to climb Half Dome and wander the park's backcountry.

Yosemite spokeswoman Ashley Mayer told NBC Bay Area on Monday that crews did an official tally of the fire acreage early Monday and determined that 2,582 acres had burned - not the 700 acres that had been estimated on Sunday.

She said that Yosemite fire crews, along with six "hot shot" crews, had not yet put a containment level on the wilderness blaze, which was burning within the Little Yosemite Valley on both sides of the Merced River. Air quality on Monday was deemed "moderate."

While no homes or structures are located in this backcountry, Mayer said about 100 hikers and backpackers were evacuated on Sunday, along with 85 others who were trying to scale the majestic Half Dome. Some, like Teresa Yung, tweeted photos of their helicopter ride off the granite rock.

Others, like Michael McCall, 24, of Texas and some of his buddies who now live in Daly City, including Chris Sarsgard, 24, and Thomas Griffin, 23, were able to hike the whole thing, and capture the smoke and flames on a GoPro video on their way down.

His crew of six friends in all scaled Half Dome by noon, and were nearing the finish line by 4:30 p.m. when they saw helicopters flying above and deer running away from the fire. "We started chuckling at first," McCall told NBC Bay Area. "We just didn't realize how serious it was."

He's just glad he made it out safely, and can tell his friends he summitted Yosemite's most popular rock formation, cresting at nearly 5,000 feet.

While roads in Yosemite are open, the trails near the Half Dome area, the Little Yosemite Valley area, Merced Lake and Sunrise High Sierra Camps, Clouds Rest and Echo Valley, remained closed on Monday. This is a popular time of year for visiting Yosemite. Last year at this time, Mayer said, the park saw 476,969 visitors in September and 290,304 in October.

National Park Service employee Jeffrey Trust set out with his camera to document the blaze, and took fiery images of the smoke and flames from the top of Washburn Point in Mariposa County.

Mayer said the blaze could have started from a lightning strike or a spot fire on Aug. 16, but at this point, investigators just aren't sure. The fire was actually discovered on Sunday about 12:30 p.m.

The South Central Sierra Interagency Management Team will take over control of the fire by Monday at 6 p.m.

 Check the National Park Service blog for updates and a full list of trail closures.