Calmer winds, and amplified firefighting efforts along the path of the Caldor Fire near South Lake Tahoe aided in helping steer the wildfire away from hundreds of homes, fire officials said. As of Thursday morning the fire was 210,259 acres and 25 percent contained.
While the winds have eased and moderate humidity has entered the basin, threats remain for the South Lake Tahoe community with firefighters on the ground attacking spot fires and fire spread that is still happening along the northern edge of the fire, according to a morning report from Cal Fire.
Firefighters will work Thursday to bolster lines where large pockets of previously unburned fuel threaten existing control lines. Damage inspection is in progress with approximately 60 percent of structures inspected to date.
In total since the fire started August 14, 2 miles east of Omo Ranch, 4 miles south of the community of Grizzly Flats, 622 homes have been lost. As of Thursday morning, 32,387 structures remained threatened.
According to the Wednesday evening fire briefing, the fire had increased on one end, got active in another, while evacuation orders were lifted in another. Winds increased fire behavior along the northern area of the fire Wednesday morning. Winds should be calmer over the next few days.
The US50 corridor between the east of Pollock Pines and Ice House Road, Wright’s Lake and Kyburz saw increased fire behavior Wednesday due to the expected gusts of wind and poor overnight and daytime humidity.
The increased fire activity on US50 was due to a spot fire that started Tuesday. There is potential for an east wind to push the fire west at Wright’s Lake.
Lower Echo Lake has cabins along the lake, fire fighters took boats to the homes to protect them. In Christmas Valley and South Lake Tahoe, there’s been a heavy resource commitment.
Fire officials said Wednesday evening that the wildfire was being pushed southeast of Pioneer Trail and spreading through steep terrain toward Douglas County on the Nevada side.
No structure damage so far on the South Shore according to the nightly CalFire briefing. Structures lost are primary in the Echo Lake area.
The containment line along the western end of the fire — primarily Camino, south of Pollock Pines and Fairplay — near the origin of the fire 18 days ago, is holding and residents should be able to start repopulating, depending on location and orders from CalFire. In order to get people back into areas, equipment needs to be removed including miles of hose.
Evacuations
Douglas County Evacuation Orders:
— Upper Kingsbury (South), Upper Kingsbury (North), Central Kingsbury, Lower Kingsbury, Round Hill region and roads including Lower Elks Point, Lake Village, Lower Olivers, Kahle Drive region, and roads
Douglas County Evacuation Warnings:
• Zone 2: Any homes or property located on Foothill Road from Centerville Lane north to Muller. Included in this zone is the valley side of Kingsbury Grade and any homes that are accessed by Foothill Road between Centerville Lane and Muller Lane.
Alpine County
The following evacuation orders remain in effect for Alpine County:
— Highway 89 at Pickett’s Junction west to the Alpine/El Dorado County Line (Zone 21a)
— Pickett’s Junction Northeast to Fay Luther Canyon (Zone 22a)
— Horse Thief Canyon to Fay Luther Canyon
— Mesa Vista is NOT under evacuation orders
— Highway 88 Pickett’s Junction south to Kirkwood and the Alpine/Amador County Line (Zone 19 & Zone 20)
— All areas to the west of Highway 88
— Red Lake, Caples Lake, Kirkwood
— Wilderness and forested areas south of 88 and west of Blue Lakes
— Sisters, Fourth of July Peak, Fourth of July Canyon, Devils Corral, Winnemucca Lake, Frog Lake, Emigrant Peak, Elephants Back
— Evacuation Warnings have been expanded to include the following areas in Alpine County:
— Blue Lakes Rd. Upper Blue Lake, Burnside Lake & Rd., Elephant’s Graveyard, “The Patch” (Zone 23)
— Forestdale Rd from Junction 88 to Upper Blue Lake
— Highway 89 Pickett’s Junction East Bound to Junction Highway 88 & Highway 89 (Zone 21b)
— Crystal Springs
— Woodfords (North/West of Highway 88)
— Sorenson’s
— Mesa Vista West of Highway 88 to Fay Luther Canyon California/Nevada Stateline (Zone 22b)
NO warnings are in place for the following Alpine County areas as this time:
Woodfords south/east of Highway 88
Alpine Village
Sierra Pines
Hung-A-Lel-Ti
Diamond Valley Rd.
Carson River Rd.
Markleeville
Markleevillage
Pleasant Valley
Carson Ridge
Bear Valley
Lake Alpine
East Carson Corridor
Monitor Pass
Amador County
Amador County – Evacuation Orders
• South of Highway 88 along the Amador/El Dorado County line from Dufrene
Road, due east to the Amador/Alpine County line and from the
Amador/Alpine County line north to Highway 88. This includes the area of
Kirkwood Lake.
Amador County – Evacuation Warnings
• South of the Amador/El Dorado County line along Highway 88 from Dufrene
Road west to Omo Ranch Road.
• North of Tiger Creek Road East to Salt Springs Reservoir Road to the East
end of the Salt Springs Reservoir.
• West of the Amador/Alpine County line to Highway 88.
• East of Highway 88 to the Amador/Alpine County line
Amador County – Road Closures
• Highway 88 is closed between Peddlers Ridge and the Highway 88/89
interchange.
The Numbers
Civilian Injuries: 2
First Responder Injuries: 3
Structures Threatened: 32,387
Single Residences Threatened: 26,962
Multiple residences Threatened: 4,402
Businesses Threatened: 1,023
Structures Damaged: 44
Single Residences Destroyed: 595
Commercial Properties Destroyed: 12
Other Minor Structures Destroyed: 173
Evacuated: 49,763
People in Temporary Shelters: 836
Estimated incident costs to date: $80,441,966
Personnel on the fire: 4,224
Engines: 490
Water tenders: 77
Helicopters: 26
Handcrews: 78
Dozers: 96
Other: 34
Air Tankers: Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow.
