Caldor fire update: Traffic is gridlocked and has been for hours throughout most of South Lake Tahoe as the city rushes to evacuate the devastating Caldor fire news, which has jumped highways and caused havoc for people trying to escape.
Mandatory evacuation orders were imposed late Monday morning ahead of a red flag warning for gusting winds that is expected to last until 11 p.m. Wednesday.
Caldor fire update Pictures and Video Live
On Monday morning, Cal Fire ordered a mandatory evacuation for all of South Lake Tahoe as residents stayed glued to their phones for the latest updates and advice on the Caldor Fire update website.
“Everything is burning different today. We’re seeing movement as we saw about 15 days ago,” Cal Fire operations section chief Eric Schwab said at a Sunday evening briefing. “A couple of days ago I really felt like we were turning the corner with it. ”
The section chief went on to say “To put it in perspective, we’ve been seeing less than a half-mile of movement on the fire’s perimeter for the last couple of weeks each day. Today, this is already moved about two and a half miles with no sign it’s about to slow down.”
The Caldor wildfire has been burning for a week in Northern California continued to grow out of control, one of about a dozen big blazes in the drought-stricken state that have destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands of people to evacuate.
Fire along Mormon Emigrant Trail. Highway 88 is closed further east due to air operations. #CalderFire pic.twitter.com/BWJGhkyFwu
— Tyler Day (@itstylerday) August 30, 2021
With highways 50, 88 and 89 all closed below the Tahoe Basin, people are being funnelled out of town toward the Nevada state line. But they are struggling to escape as the traffic is gridlocked as they face a race against time to clear the way for the impending destruction of the hurricane
“The traffic that occurred during the evacuation took our residents a long time to get out. But for us that was a good sign,” South Lake Tahoe Fire Chief Clive Savacool said. “It meant that the citizens were listening to the evacuation orders.”
The Caldor Fire, which is raging closer to the Tahoe Basin as of Monday morning, burned through Twin Bridges, close to Echo Summit on Sunday night.
Firefighters are in a battle to save homes
Firefighters are in a battle to save homes and businesses Monday night as high winds push the Caldor Fire into the Tahoe Basin, creating a worst-case scenario for one of California’s most beloved natural treasures.
Spot drop near Ridge Dip, #calderfire via @NVNationalGuard pic.twitter.com/aNRRE6S6e1
— Andrew Wagner (@andrewwagnerme) August 24, 2021
Caldor fire news
On Monday afternoon, spot fires began leaping into the basin, bringing flames within a stone’s throw of heavily populated areas like Meyers.
All of South Lake Tahoe fell under a mandatory evacuation order today, causing a crush of people to flee the region. Over 20,000 structures are threatened.
The most urgent firefighting is occurring along Highway 50 near Echo Summit, where crews had hoped to make a stand and prevent the head of the blaze from burning down into the basin.
Dangerous, gusting winds, which are expected through Wednesday evening, are whipping up flames and embers which are floating down into Christmas Valley. The fire, now fed by the wind, is moving down the mountainside toward Meyers.
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