Yosemite National Park

As the wildfire season creeps into the dog days of August, fires continue to impact national parks, with the Yosemite Valley remaining closed to all and a blaze in Grand Canyon National Park affecting a North Rim road and some trails there.

One of the most iconic vistas in the National Park System, the Yosemite Valley, was ordered evacuated Friday due to firefighting efforts related to the Ferguson Fire outside the park's borders. The valley itself was not threatened by the fire "at this time," Yosemite National Park staff said.

As Congress works in the coming months to reach accord on legislation that would provide billions of dollars to address the National Park System's nearly $12 billion in maintenance work that's been put off for a year or longer, the backlog continues to inch higher and higher. If a funding mechanism is passed, then the National Park Service will have to craft a national priority list of projects that need to be tackled. While that list doesn't exist yet, here's a look at some possible top priorities.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, Yosemite National Park's iconic valley will reopen to visitors Friday afternoon. Limited visitor services are expected to be available inside Yosemite Valley, including campgrounds, lodging, and food service operations.