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Highway 50 still closed due to Kyburz fire

Tribune staff report

Update 11:35 a.m.

Highway 50 still remains closed between Sly Park and Meyers due to the fire near Kyburz. The fire is on both sides of Highway 50 and opening the route is a priority, according to incident command.

The highway will be re-opened one lane with metered traffic once the safety concerns are mitigated. Fire officials will be looking at reopening possibly late afternoon or this evening if fire operations progress well today.



The fire remains at 30 percent contained, and Pacific Gas and Electric lines have been de-energized between Whitehall and Kyburz.

Cooler temperatures and light winds have kept the fire from spreading too quickly.



Sand Flat is the only campground closed. The Crystal Basin and Silver Fork areas are still open for camping, however access to these areas is affected by the road closure on Highway 50. Access to the Ice House road area is via Highway 49 to Highway 193 to Georgetown, east on Wentworth Springs road to Ice House road (paved all the way). Access to the Silver Fork area is via Sly Park road to Mormon Emigrant Trail to South Fork road. Fire restrictions are still in effect.

Westside Desolation Wilderness walk-in permits are being issued out of the Placerville Ranger District office at 4260 Eight Mile road, Camino, CA 95709. 530-644-2324.

Updated: 8:15 a.m.

Highway 50 still remains closed in both directions from Sly Park Road to Meyers due to the Kyburz fire.

Caltrans will reevaluate conditions for opening the route at 10 a.m. on Friday.

Caltrans has instructed motorists to use Highway 80 or alternative routs if heading to Tahoe.

As of 8 a.m. on Friday the fire has grown to 200 acres but has been 30 percent contained at its perimeter, with 350 personnel combating the blaze from the air and ground. The fire is on both sides of Highway 50 and has moved across to the south side of the American River.

According to incident command, “crews were able to tie in line around the north side of the fire and will be working on reinforcing that today. The south side of the fire (south of Highway 50) has quite a few dead trees that are causing short range spot fires. Crews worked on structure protection in the 29 and 30 mile summer home tracts overnight.”

Please note people’s GPS is rerouting them Sly Park to Park Creek road which will lead back into closure area. Do not go that way.

The fire started at approximately 2 p.m. Thursday near Highway 50 and Kyburz Drive. It jumped both sides of the highway north of the American River and had been heading west. Voluntary evacuations had been set in place from Sand Flat to Strawberry and mandatory evacuations ordered between Whitehall to Sand Flat Campground.

The Red Cross has set up a evacuation center at the Pollock Pines Community Center. 2675 Sanders Drive, Pollock Pines and can be reached at 530-647-8005.

The fire can be tracked using the InciWeb Information System at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4408/.


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