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Firefighters defend structures overnight in Tahoe; Caldor grows to 191K acres (Video/Gallery)

Bill Rozak and Elias Funez
Tahoe Daily Tribune
Firefighters perform structure defense Monday night on a cabin in S. Upper Truckee road area. <em id="emphasis-b61c6e57589436bba2b2ea94f68e1b32">(Elias Funez / Tahoe Daily Tribune)</em>

 

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The Caldor Fire grew by more than 5,000 acres overnight and is actively burning in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The fire is at 191,607 acres and 16% contained as of Tuesday morning.

Firefighters performed structure defense overnight in the S. Upper Truckee Road area, behind Tahoe Paradise Golf Course near Mandan Street and Apache Avenue and also in Christmas Valley where flames are burning on both sides of the canyon.



Intermittent gusts of wind stoked the fire and made conditions difficult.

At the base of Echo Summit, the fire has not crossed U.S. Highway 50 into the N. Upper Truckee neighborhood.



There are no reports of structure damage in the basin, although officials said overall about 34,000 homes are being threatened by the fire.

Total personnel has risen to 3,904, the highest point so far.

Officials have re-estimated the date of full containment to Sept. 13.

The fire is also making a run on its eastern edge and is threatening the Kirkwood area.

Fire is burning on both sides of California State Route 88 in El Dorado and Alpine County in the Carson Pass Highway area and is approaching Caples Lake.

The evacuation shelters at the Douglas County Communmity & Senior Center and Carson City Community Center are at capacity.

Another evacuation center has opened at the Reno Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S. Virginia St.

Those who evacuated with their RVs are being directed to the Dayton Rodeo Event Center or the Lyon County Fair Grounds in Reno.

Flames burn up a ridge in the Christmas Valley of the South Lake Tahoe Basin Monday evening as the Caldor Fire approaches the South Lake Tahoe community.
Photo: Elias Funez
A trio of Tahoe National Forest firefighters use chainsaws to clear ladder fuels from trees as flames from the Caldor Fire make their way into the Tahoe Basin Monday evening threatening area homes.
Photo: Elias Funez
Firefighters keep an eye out for spot fires off of Highway 50 below the Echo Summit Monday as the Caldor Fire pushes into the Tahoe Basin.
Photo: Elias Funez
Trees torch in the Christmas Valley east of Highway 89 Monday evening after the Caldor Fire pushed its way into the Tahoe Basin.
Photo: Elias Funez
Tahoe National Forest hand crews return to their engines after providing initial structure defense in the Christmas Valley Monday evening.
Photo: Elias Funez

Elias Funez is a reporter for the Union, a sister publication of the Tribune.


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