[pct-l] South Lake Tahoe fire

[Daniel Braunstein]

Here is the latest from the RGJ:
 
MEYERS, Calif. (AP) — A wind-driven forest fire burned out of control early Monday near the popular resort of Lake Tahoe, destroying at least 165 structures and forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate nearby communities. The fire, believed to be caused by human activity, has scorched more than 2,000 acres — or more than 3 square miles — since it started Sunday afternoon. No injuries were reported. “This is just a monster of a fire,” Lt. Kevin House of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department told ABC’s “Good Morning America” Monday. “It’s just a very difficult thing to get on top of.” Throughout the night, caravans of firefighters sliced through smoke-filled mountain passes to reach the remote blaze. Winds, which gusted as high as 35 mph Sunday night, had slowed to about 12 mph and temperatures dipped into the 30s, aiding firefighters’ efforts to corral the flames in the heavily wooded, parched terrain. As firefighters hustled to contain the fire, many evacuated residents huddled in the cold in parking lots as ash rained down through an orange sky. Residents also sought shelter at evacuation centers in South Lake Tahoe and nearby hotels, their neighborhoods having been leveled by the fast-moving flames. The number of homes among the 165 burned structures was not immediately known, said Gay Eitel, an information assistant for the U.S. Forest Service. House said there were no reports of missing persons, but “the truth is we haven’t really be able to get in there and see.” One family was pulled from the area by rescue workers as they raced back to their home, said Norma Santiago, the El Dorado County Supervisor who represents the district hardest hit by the blaze. The family’s house was destroyed leaving them with only the shorts, T-shirts and hiking gear they’d taken with them. “It’s unbelievable,” Santiago said. The National Weather Service issued a dense smoke advisory Monday warning people from South Lake Tahoe to Carson City about heavy ash making it difficult to see and breathe. Officials had no estimate on containment early Monday, but expressed cautious optimism. “We had more favorable conditions overnight. It was a good time to be charging in there and making some progress,” U.S. Forest Service spokesman Rex Norman said. “But that could change if the winds change.” More than 460 firefighters are battling the blaze and House said he expected that number to grow on Monday, along with increased tanker and helicopter support. Early Monday the blaze came within a quarter mile of the 1,500-student South Tahoe High School. Dozens of firefighters remain in a defensive position around the school. State and federal fire officials had warned of a potentially active wildfire season in the Sierra Nevada following an unusually dry winter. The annual May 1 snow survey found the Tahoe-area snowpack at just 29 percent of normal levels, the lowest since 1988. Among the communities evacuated were the Angora Lakes Resort and hundreds of homes in Meyers, authorities said. The campground at Fallen Leaf Lake also was evacuated. “I can’t stay on the phone. We just got a notice to evacuate,” Gloria Hildinger of the Angora Lakes Resort said Sunday. “The smoke is getting pretty thick. It’s probably two miles away, and we’re hoping it won’t reach here.” Fire restrictions have been in effect in Tahoe National Forest since June 11, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service. The No. 1 cause of blazes in the area was abandoned campfires, the release said. Earlier this month, a fire forced residents to flee the eastern Sierra community of Coleville, and there have been several other troublesome fires in the region since mid-May.





> Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 19:27:15 -0700> From: zaqueltooocool at gmail.com> To: pct-l at backcountry.net> Subject: [pct-l] South Lake Tahoe fire> > Saw this story on the news.....also online.> > Eight homes have been destroyed with more endangered by a massive> wind-driven blaze raging in the south Lake Tahoe area near Angora Lake> Ridge.> > El Dorado County Lt. Kevin House confirmed at least eight homes had already> been lost to the wildfire that broke out around 2:15 p.m. Sunday in the> upper Angora Creek drainage.> > By 5 p.m., estimates of the fire and its damage varied with reports of up to> 50 homes already burned and from 350 to 500 acres lost.> > Evacuations were in place for residents in the Echo Summit area, including> the Mount Raineer, Pyramid, and Mule Deer areas.> > House said evacuees were being told to go to the South Lake Tahoe Recreation> Center on Rufus Allen Blvd.> > Gloria Hildinger of Angora Lakes Resort said her resort had been ordered to> evacuate. She said the fire was within about two miles of the resort.> > Multiple agencies were already on scene to help battle the blaze.> > At least three air tankers were sent to battle the fire, though high winds> were reportedly keeping the planes from attacking the flames.> > PCT MOM> _______________________________________________> pct-l mailing list> pct-l at backcountry.net> unsubscribe or change options:> http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
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