According to Cal Fire, the Caldor Fire has consumed 204,390 acres south of Lake Tahoe. The blaze is only 20% contained and is threatening the major ski resorts of Heavenly and Kirkwood.
Governor Gavin Newsom said his biggest priority is bringing the raging Caldor Fire under control:
“Actively trying to suppress this fire. The hand crews out there. We’ve got national guardsmen out there, conservation crew folks out there, CDCR has folks out there. So we’re putting everything we can on this, federal partners, the president’s been just magnificent.”
A week ago, the Biden Administration approved a federal disaster declaration for California. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday the administration is tracking the wildfires, including the Caldor Fire, and that they will continue to assess if additional resources are needed.
Fire crews battling the Caldor Firegot some good news overnight, as winds sweeping the area weren’t as strong as initially forecast. A Cal Fire official said his firefighters feel “really good” about holding the line on the northeastern front close to South Lake Tahoe.
Thick smoke from the Caldor Fire enveloped the city of South Lake Tahoe, which was all but deserted due to the blaze.
Earlier this week, the National Park Service closed all of California’s national parks for the next two weeks for fire-related safety concerns.