Caldor Fire update Sunday: 156,515 acres, 19 percent contained, expected winds prompt Red Flag warning
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sun, 08/29/2021 - 9:50am
The Caldor Fire in El Dorado County southwest of Lake Tahoe has now burned 156,515 acres and remains 19 contained as of Sunday morning.
According to a Cal Fire briefing Sunday, wildfire activity was limited overnight due the inversion layer settling in, these fire conditions allowed crews to engage the fire directly. Short range spotting and group touching continue with the most active fire activity present in the Northeast and Western sections of the fire. Steep terrain, ash pits and fire weakened trees continue to pose a threat for fire crews throughout the fire.
The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Red Flag Warning for gusty winds and low humidity that will affect the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County and Dixie Fire areas. The warning is from 2 p.m. Monday to 11 p.m. Tuesday. It affects the following areas: Surprise Valley California, Western Lassen, Eastern Plumas, and Eastern Sierra counties, Eastern Lassen County, Northern Sierra Front including Carson City, Douglas, Storey, Southern Washoe, Western Lyon, and Far Southern Lassen counties and Northern Washoe County.
During a Saturday evening briefing, fire officials reported the overnight inversion layer over the fire was present until 2:00 p.m. Saturday which decreased fire spread, spotting, and visibility well into today’s firefighting operations. As the inversion lifted erratic winds and low humidity increased fire activity with ember casts of up to one mile, according to the Calfire Press Information Officer (PIO) Saturday evening.
Steep terrain, ash pits and fire weakened trees continue to pose a threat for fire crews throughout the fire. Damage inspection teams continue to inspect properties and infrastructure throughout the area.
The nighttime inversion layer returned Friday bringing a reduction in fire spread, spotting, and visibility. Down-canyon winds and low humidity increased fire activity in Division D, the area below Pollock Pine. Firing operations continued in the eastern flanks, while firefighters took advantage of the slow easterly winds to improve control lines.
Terrain continues to be challenging for fire crews throughout the fire. Damage inspection teams continue to inspect properties and infrastructure throughout the area.
Crews will be working through the night to prevent eastern advancement of the fire. Some firefighters are doing 36-48 hour shifts.
During their 5:00 p.m. community briefing, Cal Fire's operation section chief went through the sections of the fire (see map above):
A - Holding real well and they are getting things under control
D - Crews are in "a good fire fight" and continuing fire operations. Unified Incident Commander Dusty Martin said its been a continuous fire fight for the last couple of days with fires driven by wind, fuel and topography.
F - Along US 50, crews are finishing up the fire line and mopping up
G, H and into I - Mopping up and patrolling for any hot spots
I - Still smoking along the line, doing more dozer lines and work being done on bringing the fire back down to the highway
J - There is a "firefight right now," with a couple of spot fires and aircraft trying to get over that section. Wind surfacing today, so they reallocated resources to attack it with "everything we have." As fire goes to the east the smoke gets thick and air attacks cannot happen.
L - Firing operations, good success last night
N and P - Crews working on spot fires today
R to U - "Looking read good"
There has been two days of hot and dry days at the fire but the big change starts to come in Sunday night. The winds affecting the Caldor on the ground will be aided by winds aloft. The deep and hard to access river drainages are problematic as they continue to affect the fire with their downslope winds in the morning switching to southwest winds in the afternoon.
"Where the water flows, fire goes," said the fire behavior specialist Saturday.
The up canyon and down canyon winds in these deep drainages have been problematic throughout the fire and continue to throw spot fires. Currently they have a 90 percent probability to start new fires and that increases to 95 percent in the days to come.
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The Numbers
Size: 152,545 acres
Containment: 19%
Civilian Injuries: 2
First Responder Injuries: 3
Structures Threatened: 18,347
Single Residences Threatened: 16,896
Multiple residences Threatened: 931
Businesses Threatened: 520
Structures Damaged: 39
Single Residences Destroyed: 471
Commercial Properties Destroyed: 11
Other Minor Structures Destroyed: 170
Evacuated: 35,011
Estimated incident costs to date: $57,345,130
Personnel on the fire: 3,352
Engines: 306
Water tenders: 78
Helicopters: 25
Handcrews: 74
Dozers: 76
Other: 29
Air Tankers: Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow
