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Caldor Fire: Aug. 27 - Sept. 4

An image of a giant plume of smoke on top of a large mountain backdrop
Screenshot
/
ALERTWildfire
A still from the ALERTWildfire camera of smoke at Leek Springs in El Dorado County, Cali., on Aug. 31, 2021, at 6:15 a.m. PT.

KUNR will be providing updates as they relate to our listening area. Please continue to this blog for updates starting Sept. 5.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page, in addition to the following social media pages: CAL FIRE Amador-El Dorado Unit on Facebook or Twitter, Eldorado National Forest on Facebook or Twitter, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook and Twitter, and El Dorado County on Facebook and Twitter

Evacuation updates for areas affected by the Caldor Fire can be viewed by visiting CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, and maps of evacuation areas can be viewed for El Dorado County here and Alpine County here. Douglas County updates can be viewed by visiting its information page, Facebook and Twitter. Updates on road conditions can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites. CAL FIRE also has resources and tips available for evacuees returning home.

8:22 p.m. | Sept. 4, 2021

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 214,000 acres and is 43 percent contained.

Several areas in El Dorado, Alpine, Amador and Douglas Counties are under evacuation orders and/or warnings. The latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Saturday at 7 p.m., is available below, which includes evacuation orders, evacuation warnings, road closures and resources:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

Note: The shelters at Carson City Community Center and Fuji Park have closed.

*The Lyon County sites are dry camps, which can provide water, but there are no connections available.

In addition, the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center at 1101 Sutro Street in Reno, NV, is serving as an evacuation site. Small and large pets are welcome, and the site has full RV hookups; however, there are no cots available at this location.

Food assistance is also available for evacuees throughout Northern Nevada.

There are several animal evacuation centers available:

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite and InciWeb.

President Biden Declares Emergency In California Due To Caldor Fire
By Lucia Starbuck

President Joe Biden approved a declaration of emergency on Wednesday in California due to the Caldor Fire, ordering federal assistance to go to state, tribal and local efforts.

The president’s action authorizes FEMA to provide assistance for emergency measures, including saving lives, protection of property, public health and safety. The goal is to alleviate hardship caused by the blaze on the local community.

Lucia Starbuck is a corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.

8:08 a.m. | Sept. 4, 2021

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 214,000 acres and is 37 percent contained.

As favorable weather is aiding firefighters in their battle against the Caldor Fire, officials in El Dorado are slowly downgrading some areas in the county from evacuation orders to warnings. The areas of South Sly Park, Grizzly Flats West, Happy Valley, some areas south of Pleasant Valley and some areas south of Highway 50 were downgraded to evacuation warnings Friday afternoon:

  • South Sly Park - South of Starkes Grade Road, north of Sly Park Creek, east of Pleasant Valley Road up to and including the Diamond Garnet subdivision.
  • Grizzly Flats West – East of Highway E16, west of Steely Ridge Road, South of the North Fork of the Cosumnes River and North of the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River.
  • Happy Valley - All properties accessed from Happy Valley Road.
  • The area described as south of Pleasant Valley between Bucks Bar Road and Newtown Road, east of Bucks Bar Road to Mt. Aukum Road. This includes the area of Gopher Hole Road and Moonshadow.
  • The area described as south of US Highway 50, north of Starkes Grade Road, east of Snows Road and west of Fresh Pond.

Evacuation warnings mean that there is still a potential threat to life and/or property, and residents should remain vigilant on current fire conditions.
Several areas in El Dorado, Alpine, Amador and Douglas Counties are under evacuation orders and/or warnings. The latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Saturday at 7 a.m., is available below, which includes evacuation orders, evacuation warnings, road closures and resources:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

Note: The shelters at Carson City Community Center and Fuji Park have closed.

*The Lyon County sites are dry camps, which can provide water, but there are no connections available.

In addition, the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center at 1101 Sutro Street in Reno, NV, is serving as an evacuation site. Small and large pets are welcome, and the site has full RV hookups; however, there are no cots available at this location.

Food assistance is also available for evacuees throughout Northern Nevada.

There are several animal evacuation centers available:

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite and InciWeb.

8:03 p.m. | Sept. 3, 2021

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 213,000 acres and is 32 percent contained.

Several areas in El Dorado, Alpine, Amador and Douglas Counties are under evacuation orders and/or warnings. The latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Friday at 7 p.m., is available below, which includes evacuation orders, evacuation warnings, road closures and resources:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite and InciWeb.

4:30 p.m. | Sept. 3, 2021
Updated at 5:43 p.m.

The following areas in El Dorado County have been downgraded from evacuation orders to evacuation warnings as of Friday at 2 p.m., according to CAL FIRE:

  • The area described as south of Pleasant Valley between Bucks Bar Road and Newtown Road, east of Bucks Bar Road to Mt. Aukum Road. This includes the area of Gopher Hole Road and Moonshadow.
  • The area described as south of US Highway 50, north of Starkes Grade Road, east of Snows Road and west of Fresh Pond.

And the following areas in El Dorado County have been downgraded from evacuation orders to evacuation warnings as of Friday at 4:45 p.m.:

  • South Sly Park - South of Starkes Grade Road, north of Sly Park Creek, east of Pleasant Valley Road up to and including the Diamond Garnet subdivision.
  • Grizzly Flats West – East of Highway E16, west of Steely Ridge Road, South of the North Fork of the Cosumnes River and North of the Middle Fork of the Cosumnes River.
  • Happy Valley - All properties accessed from Happy Valley Road.

Officials are asking the public to remain vigilant on current fire conditions and updates can be viewed on CAL FIRE’s official incident website. Road conditions may change and updates in California can be found by visiting the Caltrans website.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite and InciWeb.

8:55 a.m. | Sept. 3, 2021

Fire activity slowed overnight due to decreased winds and moderate humidity in the eastern Sierra. Firefighters battling the Caldor Fire took advantage of the favorable weather and have the fire 29% contained as of this update.

"The head of the fire here, which is sort of right in the area of Heavenly Valley ski area, they're able to go direct in a number of areas there. So, a lot of good work went into the east side as well. Probably their major area of concern is just this one little piece here in Christmas Valley. They're working on tying in some loose ends there. We're not out of the woods, but we also have not seen any growth there as well," said CAL FIRE Operations Section Cheif Tim Ernst.

Looking ahead to today's forecast, Incident Meteorologist Jim Dudley said winds will be light, but still present challenges.

"With the ridges, the deep canyons, the Highway 50 corridor funneling things up in the afternoon, you always get variable winds. I like to call them 'squirrely directions,'" Dudley said.

In Douglas County, mandatory evacuation orders remain in place for the Upper and Lower Kingsbury areas.

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

Note: The shelters at Carson City Community Center and Fuji Park have closed.

*The Lyon County sites are dry camps, which can provide water, but there are no connections available.

In addition, the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center at 1101 Sutro Street in Reno, NV, is serving as an evacuation site. Small and large pets are welcome, and the site has full RV hookups; however, there are no cots available at this location.

The U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday it is temporarily suspending operations at the following post offices in Nevada as a result of the Caldor Fire: 

  • Zephyr Cove Post Office at 212 Elks Point Road in Zephyr Cove, NV
  • Stateline Post Office at 223 Kingsbury Grade in Stateline, NV 
  • Glenbrook Post Office at 1785 Us Highway 50 in Glenbrook, NV 

According to the USPS, all retail and P.O. Box operations at these sites will be conducted at the Ormsby Post Office at 2613 Empire Ranch Road in Carson City, NV, until further notice. Customers from Zephyr Cove, Stateline and Glenbrook can pick up their P.O. Box mail at Ormsby by visiting the retail counter during business hours with a valid photo ID.

Changes in service for post offices in California can be viewed here.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite and InciWeb.

7:56 p.m. | Sept. 2, 2021

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 210,000 acres and is 27 percent contained.

Several areas in El Dorado, Alpine, Amador and Douglas Counties are under evacuation orders and/or warnings. The latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Thursday at 7 p.m., is available below, which includes evacuation orders, evacuation warnings, road closures and resources:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

2:04 p.m. | Sept. 2, 2021

Out of an abundance of caution, Douglas County officials issued an evacuation order for the Round Hill region Tuesday afternoon; however, officials removed this area from the order Thursday afternoon.

According to Douglas County officials, evacuation orders are still in place for the following communities:

  • Upper Kingsbury (South)
  • Upper Kingsbury (North)
  • Central Kingsbury
  • Lower Kingsbury
  • Lower Olivers, Kahle Drive region and roads
  • Lake Village
  • Areas south of Elks Point Road

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

8:45 a.m. | Sept. 2, 2021
Updated at 9:48 a.m.

Firefighters were able to battle gusty winds overnight, helping to slow the spread of the Caldor Fire further east toward Nevada. The blaze grew by 6,284 acres yesterday, the smallest single-day expansion since Saturday.

Weather conditions are expected to be better for fire crews today."We lost the winds aloft. It's a good day today to not have gusty winds up on the ridges. What we are going to have are terrain-driven winds," said Incident Meteorologist Jim Dudley.

Dudley says that means some places in the blaze are actually able to generate their own wind when the sun hits the area. And that could mean swirling and variable wind throughout the day. But the forecast is still better than the last few days.

"Humidities are a little bit better today, overnight recoveries were better. And I don't expect any really, really low humidities out there today, so the main thing: less ridgeline wind, terrain-driven winds driving this thing, and a little better humidity, but it's still dry," Dudley said.

Evacuation orders remain in effect in Douglas County for the Lower and Upper Kingsbury areas.

The American Red Cross is transferring evacuees from Carson City and Gardnerville sites to Reno. Residents of Douglas and Alpine Counties are still allowed at the Douglas County Community and Senior Center.

All other evacuees are being directed to go to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center on South Virginia Street in Reno. Small and large pets are welcome at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center.

People can also dry camp at the Lyon County Fairgrounds or Dayton Event Center/Rodeo Grounds.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all people arriving at the Red Cross shelters in Reno must wear a face covering and undergo a health screening before entering.

Incline Village schools are closed through at least next Tuesday, Sept. 7 due to unpredictable fire behavior. Douglas County has closed all lake schools in the district through at least Friday.

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

*According to El Dorado County officials, the Carson City Community Center, Fuji Park and part of the Douglas County Community Center evacuation centers are being transitioned to Reno.

  • Evacuees can head to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center at 4590 S Virginia Street in Reno, NV for shelter. There are cots, but there is no RV parking and pets are not permitted.
  • Small and large pets are welcome at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center at 1350 N Wells Ave. in Reno, NV. Full RV hookups are available; however, there are no cots available at this location.

**The Lyon County sites are dry camps, which can provide water, but there are no connections available.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

8:07 p.m. | Sept. 1, 2021

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 207,000 acres and is 23 percent contained.

Several areas in El Dorado, Alpine, Amador and Douglas Counties are under evacuation orders and/or warnings. To check if there are evacuations in your area, visit this El Dorado County Sheriff map and enter your address. You can also view the latest incident report from CAL FIRE below, published Wednesday at 7 p.m., which also includes road closures and resources:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

6:51 p.m. | Sept. 1, 2021

According to El Dorado County officials, the Carson City Community Center, Fuji Park and Douglas County Community Center evacuation centers are being transitioned to Reno.

Evacuees can head to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center at 4590 S Virginia Street in Reno, NV for shelter. There are cots, but there is no RV parking and pets are not permitted.

Small and large pets are welcome at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center at 1350 N Wells Ave. in Reno, NV. Full RV hookups are available; however, there are no cots available at this location.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

8:13 a.m. | Sept. 1, 2021

The Caldor Fire forced evacuations in Douglas and Alpine counties Tuesday, after the entire city of South Lake Tahoe was evacuated Monday.

Upper, Center and Lower Kingsbury...the Round Hill region and roads including Lower Elks Point...Lake Village...Lower Olivers, and the Kahle Drive region and roads.

Stateline casinos are excluded.

These evacuations include areas from Highway 50 at Lake Parkway, East to Elks Point Road and Kingsbury Grade from Highway 50 to Tramway Drive, including all area roads north and south of Kingsbury Grade.

Additionally, evacuation warnings were issued for any homes or property located on Foothill Road from Centerville Lane north to Muller. That includes the valley side of Kingsbury Grade.

Some residents in Alpine County have also been ordered to evacuate, as the blaze burns near the Kirkwood Ski Resort. Fire officials today hope to guide the wildfire toward the freshly burned areas impacted by this year's Tamarack Fire.

Douglas County residents can go to the Douglas County Community and Senior Center. Others can go to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center or can dry camp at the Lyon County Fairgrounds or Dayton Event Center/Rodeo Grounds.

Due to the blaze, all state parks in the Tahoe Basin are closed until further notice.

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

Lyon County is also offering two dry camps that can accommodate the following:

  • (Recreational vehicles) Dayton Event Center / Rodeo Grounds at 500 Schaad Lane in Dayton, NV
  • (Recreational vehicles; large animals at the fairgrounds) Lyon County Fairgrounds at 100 Hwy 95A E in Yerington, NV

The Lyon County sites can provide water, but there are no connections available.
LifePoint Church at 1095 Stephanie Way in Minden, NV, also opened its parking lot for RVs on a first come, first serve basis with no hookups. There are restrooms available but no showers on site. Registration is available online and small animals are welcome.

Several sites are available for evacuees in need of food:

  • St. Vincent’s Dining Room at 325 Valley Road in Reno, NV, is providing hot, grab-and-go meals from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily
  • St. Vincent’s Food Pantry on the Catholic Charities campus at 500 East Fourth Street in Reno, NV, can provide grocery items for evacuees with a means of cooking meals (trailers/campers)
  • Evacuees at the Douglas County Community and Senior Center may obtain food at the Carson Valley Community Food Closet at 1251 Waterloo Lane in Gardnerville, NV. Groceries are available from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and Friday. Call 775-782-3711 for more information.
  • Friends in Service Helping will provide lunch and dinner meals to evacuees as needed at the FISH Family Dining Room at 138 E. Long Street in Carson City, NV.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

7:42 p.m. | Aug. 31, 2021

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 199,000 acres and is 18 percent contained.

Several areas in El Dorado, Alpine, Amador and Douglas Counties are under evacuation orders and/or warnings. To check if there are evacuations in your area, visit this El Dorado County Sheriff map and enter your address. You can also view the latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Tuesday at 7 p.m., below, which also includes road closures and resources:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Navigating The Pandemic At American Red Cross Evacuation Centers In Nevada
By Lucia Starbuck

The American Red Cross is operating four evacuation shelters in Nevada for the Caldor Fire. Over the past 36 hours, they’ve seen an influx of displaced California residents, and on top of that, they’re navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The American Red Cross is operating one evacuation site in Gardnerville, two in Carson City and one in Reno. At these sites, there are cleaning protocols, people are required to wear masks, and if someone is feeling sick, they will be isolated. Medical care is also available. There are no health screenings at the door and proof of vaccination is not required.

Jennifer Sparks with the American Red Cross said their top priority is to make sure that people have a safe place to come.

“These are some of the hardest days of people’s lives. We’ve had to grapple with these really large-scale disasters and how we can best keep everybody safe when the pandemic is by no means over,” Sparks said.

Lucia Starbuck is a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.

All People In Custody In South Lake Tahoe Jail Transferred To Placerville Jail
By Lucia Starbuck

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office announced Monday that every person in custody at the South Lake Tahoe Jail has been transferred to the El Dorado County Jail in Placerville due to threats from the Caldor Fire.

If you have a question regarding the status of or how to contact a person in custody, officials are asking people to call the El Dorado County Jail at 530-621-6000.

5:29 p.m. | Aug. 31, 2021
Updated at 5:35 p.m.

Several evacuation warnings in Douglas County were updated to evacuation orders Tuesday afternoon, which includes the following communities (excluding Stateline Casinos):

  • 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
  • Areas from Highway 50 at Lake Parkway, East to Elks Point Road (excluding Stateline Casinos) and State Route 207 (Kingsbury Grade) from Highway 50 to Tramway Drive, including all area roads North and South of Kingsbury Grade

Non-essential travel to South Lake Tahoe is prohibited, and roads that access South Lake Tahoe are limited as paths to leave the area or official business only. To view the latest updates and changes to road closures, visit the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees. You can also call the Red Cross for information on availability at 855-755-7711:

Lyon County is also working with the Nevada Division of Emergency Management to provide assistance for South Lake Tahoe residents affected by the Caldor Fire, which includes two dry camps that can accommodate the following:

  • Lyon County has room for 100-150 recreational vehicles at the Dayton Event Center / Rodeo Grounds at 500 Schaad Lane in Dayton, NV
  • Lyon County has room for 200+ recreational vehicles and can also house large animals at the fairgrounds of the Lyon County Fairgrounds at 100 Hwy 95A E in Yerington, NV

The Lyon County sites can provide water, but there are no connections available.
LifePoint Church at 1095 Stephanie Way in Minden, NV, also opened its parking lot for RVs on a first come, first serve basis with no hookups. There are restrooms available but no showers on site. Registration is available online and small animals are welcome.

Schools in Incline Village have are closed Tuesday and Wednesday due to the threat of the fire, and Douglas County has closed all lake schools for the rest of the week.

8:37 a.m. | Aug. 31, 2021
Updated at 10:41 a.m.

The Nevada Division of Emergency Management has announced that the Fuji Park shelter is still available for Caldor Fire evacuees.

The latest morning update on the blaze can be read here or below:

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

Lyon County is also working with the Nevada Division of Emergency Management to provide assistance for South Lake Tahoe residents affected by the Caldor Fire, which includes two dry camps that can accommodate the following:

  • Lyon County has room for 100-150 recreational vehicles at the Dayton Event Center / Rodeo Grounds at 500 Schaad Lane in Dayton, NV
  • Lyon County has room for 200+ recreational vehicles and can also house large animals at the fairgrounds of the Lyon County Fairgrounds at 100 Hwy 95A E in Yerington, NV

The Lyon County sites can provide water, but there are no connections available.
Note: Carson High School was previously reported as an evacuation center by CAL FIRE; however, the Nevada Division of Homeland Security clarified Tuesday morning that the site is not an evacuation shelter as school is currently in session.

There are also animal evacuation centers:

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

6:18 a.m. | Aug. 31, 2021
Updated at 10:40 a.m.

The evacuation centers originally set up in Nevada for Caldor Fire evacuees are now full.

The Douglas County Community Center, the Carson City Community Center and Fuji Park Fairgrounds are at capacity. Evacuees are now being directed to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Evacuees can also head to the Truckee Veterans Hall. The Dayton Rodeo Grounds are also open for animals. Limited space is available for pets at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.

Schools in Incline Village have been canceled Tuesday and Wednesday due to the threat of the fire. And Douglas County has closed all lake schools for the rest of this week.

The Caldor Fire jumped Highways 88, 89 and 50 yesterday. And pictures shared on social media show that ski resorts are using their snow guns to try to contain the Caldor Fire.

Yesterday, the blaze crossed over the Sierra yesterday. Fire officials say that's the second blaze in state history to do so. The first was the Dixie Fire.

Note: Carson High School was previously reported as an evacuation center by CAL FIRE; however, the Nevada Division of Homeland Security clarified Tuesday morning that the site is not an evacuation shelter as school is currently in session.

10:16 p.m. | Aug. 30
Updated at 10:40 a.m. on Aug. 31

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 186,000 acres and is 15 percent contained.

An evacuation warning has been issued for several communities in Douglas County as of Monday at 7:30 p.m. Communities in the following areas should be alert and prepared in case there are potential evacuation orders in the future:

  • 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
  • Areas from Highway 50 at Lake Parkway, East to Elks Point Road (excluding Stateline Casinos) and State Route 207 (Kingsbury Grade) from Highway 50 to Tramway Drive, including all area roads North and South of Kingsbury Grade

The recommended evacuation route is eastbound on Highway 50 toward Nevada, and additional information can be found on the Douglas County website.

Several areas in El Dorado, Alpine and Amador Counties are under evacuation orders or warnings. To check if there are evacuations in your area, visit this El Dorado County Sheriff map and enter your address. You can also view the latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Monday at 7 p.m., below, which also includes road closures and resources:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates. Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Note: Carson High School was previously reported as an evacuation center by CAL FIRE; however, the Nevada Division of Homeland Security clarified Tuesday morning that the site is not an evacuation shelter as school is currently in session.

Governor Sisolak Declares State Of Emergency Due To Caldor Fire
By Lucia Starbuck

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency Monday to ensure resources go toward helping Caldor Fire evacuees from California taking refuge in the state.

The wildfire prompted mandatory evacuation orders for more than 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents, and due to road closures, many are being directed across state lines into Nevada.

The influx of people is expected to result in unsafe road conditions, overwhelmed services and insufficient evacuee sheltering. The evacuation center at Douglas County Community and Senior Center is already at full capacity.

Sisolak’s state of emergency directs state, local and federal agencies to provide resources as needed.

Lucia Starbuck is a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project.

Barton Health Services And Medical Offices Close Due To Threat From Caldor Fire
By Lucia Starbuck

All Barton Health services and medical offices closed Monday due to the threat of the Caldor Fire. This includes Barton Urgent Care and the relocated emergency department that was at Lake Tahoe Surgery Center. The closures will be in effect until at least Friday, September 3.

All patients are being transferred to other facilities, and their families have been notified. Patients with upcoming appointments will be contacted directly.

Douglas County Meals For Seniors Revised Locations
By Lucia Starbuck

With the Douglas County Community and Senior Center serving as an evacuation site for the Caldor Fire, the campus is closed to the public and drive-through pickup meal services for homebound seniors are suspended at the center. Seniors who normally pick up meals at the community center can now get their food at different locations throughout the community. You can find the county’s latest locations and times here or below:

Douglas County Community and Senior Center (DCCSC), Lobby South Entrance

North County / Indian Hills GID Offices, Parking Lot

South County / TRE Community Center, Parking Lot

Current and active Meals on Wheels recipients will receive their deliveries on their regularly scheduled days.
4:34 p.m. | Aug. 30

Evacuations have caused severe congestion along U.S. 50 as residents rush to leave the fire area. The Nevada Department of Transportation announced Monday around 1 p.m. that non-essential travel to the east shore of the lake is prohibited.

The Caldor Fire has forced mandatory evacuation orders and warnings in and around the Tahoe Basin Monday morning, and there are several shelters set up for evacuees in Nevada:

In California, evacuation orders are underway for the Tahoe Keys, Tahoe Island, Al Tahoe, Sierra Tract and Bijou areas around the lake. The areas of Kirkwood, Stateline and Heavenly ski resorts are also under evacuation orders.
El Dorado County residents looking to evacuate can take Highway 50 east or Highway 89 north. Residents in Alpine County should go west on Highway 88 to northbound 89 to eastbound Highway 50.

Highway 89 Southbound is closed at Emerald Bay and McKinney/Rubicon. U.S. 50 westbound is closed at Golf Club Dr. Kingsbury Grade is closed in both directions, while State Route 28 is closed southbound from Sand Harbor State Park to U.S. 50.

Road conditions may change, and updates can be found by visiting the Caltrans or NDOT websites.

Tahoe Douglas Fire announced there are currently no evacuation warnings or orders on the Nevada side, but conditions can change quickly. To stay informed on the latest and get emergency alerts, you can sign up for Reverse 9-1-1 on your county’s website.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite and InciWeb.

3:38 p.m. | Aug. 30

Non-essential travel toward the east shore of Lake Tahoe is prohibited, according to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), as of Monday around 1 p.m.

Several highways are also closed in the area, according to NDOT:

  • U.S. 50 westbound closed at Golf Club Dr.
  • State Route 207 (Kingsbury) closed both directions
  • State Route 28 closed southbound direction from Sand Harbor State Park to U.S. 50

For continued updates on road closures, visit NDOT’s road map at nvroads.com.

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

11:29 a.m. | Aug. 30

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 177,000 acres and is 14 percent contained.

According to CAL FIRE, mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for the following Echo/Tahoe Basin areas as of Monday at 10 a.m.:

El Dorado County

Tahoe Keys

  • All residences with the Tahoe Keys community and all residents accessed from the streets connected to Tahoe Keys Blvd, staying east of 3rd Street.

Tahoe Island

  • East of Highway 50/Highway 89 at the at the Lake Tahoe Blvd and Highway 89 Highway 50 intersection. This includes the area of Barton Hospital and the area of Winnemucca to the “Y.” Also north of Highway 50 west of Tahoe Keys Blvd following along the north side of Highway 89 through the end of town prior to Pope Beach.

Al Tahoe

  • All residences off of Lakeview which is west of Highway 50 North of Blue Lakes Road and east of Tahoe Keys Neighborhood.

Sierra Tract

  • All residences on both sides of Highway 50 for the streets connected to O’Malley, Lodi, Silver Dollar and Rubicon Trail.

Bijou

  • The residences between Al Tahoe on the east side of Johnson Blvd to include the streets of Treehaven and Fremont and extending to the east in to all residences west of Ski Run and east of Pioneer Trail.

The following mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for the Heavenly and Stateline areas as of Monday at 11 a.m.:

El Dorado County

Heavenly

  • East of Pioneer Trail between Larch and Al Tahoe, to include the area of Heavenly Ski Resort out to the Alpine County Line and the Nevada State line on the East.

Stateline

  • East of Ski run on the lake side of Pioneer Trail and also both sides of Pioneer Trail between Larch and the Nevada State line.

Residents should evacuate eastbound on Highway 50 toward Nevada. Evacuation shelters are available at:

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page. To check if there are evacuations in your area, visit this El Dorado County Sheriff map and enter your address.

8:02 a.m. | Aug. 30

The Caldor Fire continued its crawl toward Lake Tahoe overnight, reaching the Twin Bridges area. The blaze is now bordering the Echo Lakes, just miles outside of South Lake Tahoe.

Evacuation orders were ordered late Sunday for Desolation Wilderness from the watershed ridge to the wilderness boundary. Also, evacuations are ordered from the El Dorado / Placer county line to Echo Lakes.

The rest of the Tahoe Basin is under an evacuation warning.

Winds are expected to be gusty out of the southwest again today, which has already caused the Caldor Fire to spread toward the basin. Most of the eastern Sierra is under a red flag warning today, due to strong winds, dry conditions and hot temperatures.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

There are also animal evacuation centers:

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

5:12 p.m. | Aug. 29

The Caldor Fire has grown, forcing new mandatory evacuation orders for the Lake Tahoe basin.

CAL Fire announced new evacuations, for the areas below:

El Dorado County

Evacuation Orders

  • Christmas Valley from Highway 89 West to Echo Summit
  • Highway 89 due west to Watershed Ridge/Echo Summit and south to the Amador/El Dorado County line
  • The area from Luther Pass Road, north along the El Dorado/Alpine County line to Armstrong Pass. West from Armstrong Pass to Upper Apache at Meyers. West on Highway 50 to Highway 89. South on Highway 89 to the El Dorado/Alpine County line. This includes all homes on both sifdes of Highway 89.
  • The area from Upper Apache at Meyers, north along Highway 50, to Elks Club Drive. East on Elks Club Drive to Pioneer Trail, extending due south to Upper Apache at Meyers. (This includes all homes off of Oneidas, Mandan, Apache, Ottawa and Player).
  • The area North on Highway 50 from Highway 89 to Saw Mill Road. West on Saw Mill Road to Angora Ridge, extending to the Echo Summit.

Evacuation Warning

  • The area from Sawmill Road at Lake Tahoe Blvd. extending north to Pope Beach.  Along the water’s edge to Eagle Point. From Eagle Point west, to Desolation Wilderness, across Emerald Bay.

Alpine County

Evacuation Orders

  • Highway 89 South from Luther Pass Road to Pickets Junction (Highway 88)
  • West on Highway 88 to Kirkwood

9:07 a.m. | Aug. 29, 2021

Activity on the Caldor Fire was limited overnight, thanks in part to favorable weather conditions. The blaze did grow by 6,431 acres overnight, and continues to inch toward Lake Tahoe.

A local assistance shelter is set up in the Fitness Center Building at Folsom Lake Community College, El Dorado Campus in Placerville.

The Caldor Fire has burned more than 244 square miles, and is 19% contained.

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates.

8:39 a.m. | Aug. 28, 2021

Calmer weather conditions helped reduce spread of the Caldor Fire overnight, as fire crews continued to work to keep the blaze out of the Tahoe Basin. Containment has grown to 19% as of this morning.

The Caldor Fire grew by 5,630 acres overnight, and is continuing to inch closer to Lake Tahoe. But, much of the growth Friday occurred in the western and southern portions of the blaze.

A local assistance center has been set up at the Folsom Lake Community College, El Dorado Campus in the Fitness Center Building. It is open Monday-through-Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Wednesdays 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates.

8:12 p.m. | Aug. 27, 2021

The Caldor Fire is estimated to be more than 145,000 acres and is 19 percent contained.

Several areas in El Dorado County are under evacuation orders, with many more areas in El Dorado, Alpine and Amador Counties under evacuation warnings. To check if there are evacuations in your area, visit this El Dorado County Sheriff map and enter your address. You can also view the latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Friday at 7 p.m., below:

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates.

7:43 a.m. | Aug. 27, 2021

The Caldor Fire continued to spread northeast along Highway 50 Thursday, and is about 20 miles from Lake Tahoe. But as winds died down yesterday afternoon, crews were able to improve and strengthen control lines.

The blaze remains at 12% containment as of this morning.

Officials ordered evacuations into the Tahoe Basin for the first time Thursday. Those include Twin Bridges east to Echo Summit, From Highway 50 south to the Amador / Alpine County line, and from Highway 50 north to Flag Pole Peak.

The shelter at the Evelynn Bishop Hall in Ione, Cali. and the temporary evacuation point at the Amador County Fairgrounds in Plymouth, Cali. are now full.

Several areas in El Dorado County are under evacuation orders, with many more areas in El Dorado and Amador Counties under evacuation warnings. To check if there are evacuations in your area, visit this El Dorado County Sheriff map and enter your address. You can also view the latest incident report from CAL FIRE, published Thursday at 7 a.m., below:

Caldor Fire 08.27 Morning Update by KUNR Reno Public Radio on Scribd

A PDF version of this incident report can be found here, and you can continue to CAL FIRE’s official incident website for updates.

Several shelters have been set up for evacuees:

There are also animal evacuation centers:

Additional information about the Caldor Fire can be found on CAL FIRE’s official incidentwebsite, InciWeb and El Dorado County’s information page.

Danna has been with KUNR Public Radio since 1995. She started as a weekend announcer, then full time jazz host and in 2008 became the local host for NPR’s Morning Edition.
Michele Ravera joined KUNR in 2014 as a volunteer and was added to the part-time broadcast staff in October 2015. She is currently the station’s host for Morning Edition.
Noah Glick is a former content director and host at KUNR Public Radio.
Lucia Starbuck is an award-winning political journalist and the host of KUNR’s monthly show Purple Politics Nevada. She is passionate about reporting during election season, attending community events, and talking to people about the issues that matter most to them.
Crystal Willis (she/her/hers) is a digital editor at KUNR Public Radio and manages the station’s digital offerings.
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