fire

The Fork Fire continues to burn west of Lake Tahoe in the Rubicon drainage area near Loon Lake. The size has been remapped and 1,647 acres have burned and it is seven percent contained.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has downgraded the mandatory evacuation order to an evacuation warning for the areas of Quintette, Stumpy Meadows and Volcanoville. This does not supersede the temporary closure order that prohibits entering or using National Forest System lands, roads and trails on the Eldorado National Forest.

As ashes fell delicately from a blazing orange sky earlier this week, Lake Tahoe got a jarring glimpse of just one of the threats of the climate crisis. The frequency and intensity of wildfires in the West are breaking records and destroying communities. Scientists are also measuring wilder weather patterns, more severe droughts, and changing ecosystems as the planet’s temperature rises. More drought means more dead trees, and hotter summers mean a longer and more
severe fire season.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -El Dorado County health officials say another six residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, three are in the Lake Tahoe Region (fourth straight day of three cases), two in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, and one in North County. In this group of new cases are four aged 18-49 and two aged 65 an older.

Another 180 people were tested for the coronavirus and 174 negative tests results were received.

There are over 40 major fires currently burning in California, filling skies with heavy smoke from the ocean to the Sierra up and down the state. While there are no fires in the Lake Tahoe Basin, there are a few close enough to be responsible for sending smoke into the region. The closest is the Fork Fire east of Lake Tahoe about 13 miles northeast of Pollock Pines. To the south is the Slink Fire and northwest is the large North Complex.

Fork Fire

Statistics on the Fork Fire have not been updated all day. As of 11:00 a.m. Wednesday the estimated size was 2,500 acres.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - 2020 is turning out to be a year of large fires in California, and the South Lake Tahoe area is not immune from the danger of wildfire. It is very important to be prepared in case you must evacuate.

Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

Listed below are ways those in the South Lake Tahoe can start to plan, in hopes the plans never have to be used.

If there were just two things residents should know, South Lake Tahoe Fire Chief Clive Savacol said it would be to "evacuate early" and "have a plan."

UPDATE 2:30PM 9/9/20: The North Complex Fire more than tripled in size since Tuesday and is now 150,140 acres with 38 percent containment.

The Creek Fire burning south of Yosemite near Shaver Lake has grown to 143,929 acres. The fire, which started Friday night, continues to grow under extreme conditions causing crowning and wind driven runs and long range spotting. There is no containment at this time.

Smoke from the Creek Fire has filled the Lake Tahoe Basin for the past three days.

The U.S. Forest Service tonight added additional restrictions to its previously announced fire restrictions and closures of campgrounds and day use areas on U.S. Forest Service land in California and the Lake Tahoe Basin starting September 7 at 5:00 p.m.

There is now an emergency camping prohibition that goes into effect on Tuesday, September 8, 2020.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All campgrounds and day use areas on U.S. Forest Service land in California and the Lake Tahoe Basin must close at 5:00 p.m. Monday, September 7 due to the unprecedented and dangerous fire conditions and extreme heat, significant wind events, dry conditions, and firefighting resources that are stretched to the limit.

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has announced the following temporary closures and fire restrictions to provide for public safety and reduce the potential for human caused fire starts:

MONDAY UPDATE 9:30AM: New figures for the fire were updated this morning. The Creek Fire is now at 78,790 acres with no containment. Almost 1,000 firefighters are working at the fire scene which is under gusty wind and high heat warnings Monday.

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SUNDAY UPDATE 11:00 a.m.: Eight hundred personnel are currently fighting the Creek Fire which has grown to 45,500 acres.

The Creek Fire a fast-moving fire burning on both Districts of the Forest. The fire which started near the communities of Big Creek and Huntington Lake, moved very quickly prompting several evacuations. Early Saturday afternoon the fire crossed the San Joaquin River and made a run into the Mammoth Pool area. Prompting some members of the public to shelter in place near Wagner’s Store and Campground.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - This won't be a normal labor Day weekend in Lake Tahoe due to COVID-19 and fire restrictions, but things can still be enjoyed, just differently.

“Before COVID-19, many of us would spend the Labor Day weekend getting together with friends and extended families to enjoy a little down time from work, as is the American tradition. This year, things have changed, but we can still enjoy our holiday weekend safely," said El Dorado County Public Health Officer Dr. Nancy Williams.

TWIN BRIDGES, Calif. - On Monday, August 31 at about 6:20 p.m., Sara Monroe was doing what she does a few days a week, heading from her home in Pollock Pines to her job at Barton Health in South Lake Tahoe. The CNA with the Skilled Nursing Facility had just passed Twin Bridges on US50 and was heading up the hill towards Camp Sacramento when something caught her attention, perhaps a puff of smoke off the side of the road.

Wednesday evening update: The Slink Fire behavior today was moderate, though the south end saw small, terrain driven runs. The fire is 14,200 acres and 10 percent contained.

Smoke from the fires burning north of Lake Tahoe continue to fill the area Sunday morning. The Sheep Fire near Honey Lake is 29,517 acres and 38 percent contained, the Loyalton Fire is at 98 percent containment and 47,029 acres. The North Complex burning in Lassen and Plumas forests is 61,093 acres and 37 percent contained.

4:30 p.m. UPDTE: The body of the missing Gilroy man was located this afternoon in 117 feet of water off the shore of Lake Tahoe.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's dive team with their remote operating vehicle (ROV) found 25-year-old Ian Morlang. He was brought up to the surface and placed on the South Lake Tahoe Police Marine 1 boat, then taken to the Tahoe Keys Marina.

Police officers draped a flag on Morlang as he was carried into a waiting vehicle.

Next of kin has been notified.

The coroner transported the body to the morgue in Placerville.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Red Glag Warning from noon to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 25. They are calling for a chance of thunderstorms and strong outflow winds in the Lake Tahoe area.

There is the possibility of isolated to scattered thunderstorms with little, or limited, rainfall though the storms may be a hybrid of wet and dry. The faster storm motions will likely allow for lightning strikes outside of the main thunderstorm cores. With fire fighting resources already stretched thin, any new fire starts will be an issue.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say another 28 county residents tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend. Eleven of those are in the Lake Tahoe region, 12 in El Dorado Hills, four in Greater Placerville, one in North County. Of those, two are under the age of 18, 21 ages 18-49, four aged 50-64 and one aged 65 or older.

Another 723 tests were administered since Friday and they received 695 negative test results.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Unstable conditions will exist to start off the week with a Red Flag Warning until 11:00 a.m. Monday. The forecast is on track for thunderstorms chances through Tuesday as moisture leftover from tropical storm Genevieve moves northward through the region.

There are no thunderstorms in the forecast Wednesday through Saturday and afternoon breezes look to be on the lower-end of the spectrum. Afternoon temperatures should trend down to near normal by midweek but may start to trend warmer next weekend.

8:30 p.m. UPDATE: The Fire Weather Watch has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. The warning is from 8:00 p.m. Sunday to 11:00 a.m. Monday. Expect thunderstorms and strong outflow wind guest 40 to 50 mph.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A Fire Weather Watch is in effect from Sunday at 8:00 p.m. through Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. for the Sierra, Northeast California and Western Nevada. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno is calling for thunderstorms and strong outflow winds in the area.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Multiple new fires, mostly from last week’s lightning, are causing a drastic decrease in air quality at Lake Tahoe and throughout the state. Another inversion is expected to set up overnight Thursday, and visibility may be impaired due to smoky conditions.

The air quality in all area communities has been around the unhealthy to very unhealthy range for the past two days. As of 3:45 p.m. Thursday, the Air Quality Index in South Lake Tahoe was 195.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and August 23, the Al Tahoe Community will participate in a Neighborhood Clean-up Work Day Event. The two-day event is from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day and is part of their efforts to become a Firewise USA certified district.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and Tahoe Douglas Fire District Zephyr Chipping crews will be in Al Tahoe both days to assist homeowners with creating good defensible space around their properties and will show homeowners how to apply Firewise strategies to reduce wildfire risk.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The National Weather Service in Reno issued a special weather statement Wednesday, calling for widespread smoke and haze over the Sierra and northern California and western Nevada.

As of 8:00 a.m. the Air Quality measurement in South Lake Tahoe is 82, the moderate range. Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. it jumped to 161, in the unhealthy range.

Fires:
Loyalton Fire is now at 46,386 acres and is 35 percent contained
Claremont Fire near Quincy is 450 acres
North Complex Fires are near Quincy and at 5,400 acres, 5 percent contained

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Trash has been the topic of conversation around Lake Tahoe this summer with the influx of visitors during the pandemic and much more trash found left behind. In a few stories this week we will be looking at efforts and education to keep things clean.