[pct-l] South Lake Tahoe fire

[Daniel Braunstein]

They really aren't saying new on the news here, mostly talking about who to blame. Here is the latest from the Reno Gazette Journal website:
 
Strong winds were hampering firefighters today in their battle against a fast-moving 500-acre forest fire at South Lake Tahoe that destroyed at least 52 homes and prompted evacuations of a popular resort and more than 250 nearby homes.
At 6 p.m., Gazette-Journal reporter Jeff DeLong said homes along Tahoe Mountain Road were “exploding in flames” as he and photographer David Parker walked through the heavily wooded area southwest of the more densely developed subdivisions of South Lake Tahoe.He said engine crews were battle the fast-moving Angora Fire and saving dozens of homes that otherwise would have burned in the vicinity of Mule Deer Road, Mount Raineer, Clear View and Lake Tahoe Boulevard areas. But many homes were already in flames or fully engulfed in flames, he said.“Five or 10 homes were burning vigorously in the neighborhood I was in,” DeLong said. “Homes were burning on both sides of Clear View Road.”Firefighters said the uncontrolled blaze was the type of fire officials have been fearing for years.“This is what we’ve been preaching about for years,” Capt. Scott Swift of the Lake Valley Fire Prevention District said. “You’re going to see blocks of houses saved and others burned.”“It’s burning burning right up by the high school right now and just down Clear View almost everything is burning there,” Swift said.Chuck Pratt, an engineer with the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, said the windy, dry weather combined with parched forests following a meager winter created an explosive situation.“This is it. This is exactly like San Diego was four years ago and all those fires in L.A.,” he said. “It’s the magnitude of that — the way it’s burning and where it’s going.”No injuries have been reported and no one has been admitted to Barton Memorial Hospital.Authorities did not know the cause of “We have a lot of smoke and so far that’s all,” one nurse said.The city of South Lake Tahoe opened an evacuation center at a recreation center on Rufus Allen Boulevard, and officials said they were also prepared to use South Lake Tahoe Middle School. Several area motels have also offered to house evacuees.Still, the scene at the South Tahoe Airport, where fire crews initially set up a command post, some evacuees were frantically looking for information.Carla Ennis, a resident of the Upper Truckee area, said she fought the fire before fleeing.“I got my dog that’s really important,” she said. “What can I say? I’m trying to find my husband.”Firefighters were battling the blaze with engine crews and numerous helicopters. There were no signs of air tankers, possibly because of poor visibility, high winds, rugged terrain or a combination of those factors.Observers said the fire is in the upper Angora Creek drainage about five miles south of South Lake Tahoe but moving in northeast toward the city, according to the Camino Interagency Command Center. The ridge separates the city from Fallen Leaf Lake.It appears three fires are burning, two started by the initial fire that started about 1:30 p.m.The main fire is between Highway 50 at Echo Peak and North Upper Truckee and is headed toward Highway 89, Wood reported. People have been driving frantically out of the area and others are running on foot. A motorcycle rider was seen getting off his bike and putting out a fire on a bank, Wood reported. All of the Tahoe Paradise area has been evacuated. Gardner Mountain is on alert.The fire burned through a staging area at Tehama and Seneca drives, but no one was injured.A representative of the Fallen Leaf Lake Volunteer Fire Department said the homes and campgrounds along the lake had been evacuated in an orderly way. He said flames were not visible from Fallen Leaf Lake. “Right now the smoke is blowing overhead,” he said.A message left at the Sanford Sierra Camp at the south end of Fallen Leaf Lake said the camp had been completely evacuated by 5:30 p.m.At the Fallen Leaf Lake Corrals, a trail-riding ranch, a worker said all 70 of the outfit’s animals were being evacuated from the area. She said some of horses were in trailers but others were going to be ridden to a stable several miles away in Zephyr Cove.The blaze forced evacuations of the Angora Lakes Resort and homes in the North Upper Truckee Road area of Meyers, next to South Lake Tahoe, authorities said. “I can’t stay on the phone. We just got a notice to evacuate,” said Gloria Hildinger of the Angora Lakes Resort. “The smoke is getting pretty thick. It’s probably two miles away and we’re hoping it won’t reach here.” Flames were being fanned by winds of up to 25 mph, and the National Weather Service was calling for gusts of up to 35 mph on Sunday evening. “They’re definitely having problems with the winds up there,” Curran said. “The fire has a rapid rate of spread because of the winds.” At least five air tankers and two helicopters were attacking the blaze, she said, adding more aircraft were on the way. The fire was burning near the base of Angora and Echo peaks, according to witnesses. Since there was no lightning, officials believe the fire was human-caused.The huge smoke plume can be seen for miles around the Reno-Tahoe area. Fourteen aircraft have been ordered; six tankers and eight helicopters. The tankers were able to make a few drops before winds shut down operations.Officials said 350 firefighters are on the scene, with 100 engines from across the region, including some that fought fires along Mayberry Drive and Fourth Street in Reno hours earlier.The South Lake Tahoe fire department lost an engine and the chief’s car, but no one was injured. Outside agencies have been called in for help as the fire is moving fast and is being whipped by up to 35 mph winds. California Highway Patrol officers are leading the evacuations. A structure was reported fully engulfed in fire at 716 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, and it is believed that ash from the fire may have caused it, according to police dispatch reports. Traffic controls were in effect on Highway 50 in Meyers to make way for the large volume of vehicles leaving North Upper Truckee Road.

More stories and photos can be found at www. rgj.com
 
Hope that helps.
Daniel


Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2007 21:04:26 -0700From: zaqueltooocool at gmail.comTo: dpbraunstein at hotmail.comSubject: Re: [pct-l] South Lake Tahoe fire
If you have updates please post them on the PCT-L. It would be good first hand (almost) info for anyone on the trail. Or keep me up to date and I can post them.
 
Take care,
 
Andrea
PCT MOM 
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