California Wildfires: Lake Tahoe Receives First Evacuation Warnings

The first evacuation warnings were issued Thursday inside the Lake Tahoe basin, as the Caldor Fire neared the popular resort area — though firefighters believe they will be able to stop the blaze before it reaches local communities.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported:

Evacuation warnings were issued inside the Tahoe Basin on Thursday for the first time since the Caldor Fire erupted southwest of Lake Tahoe two weeks ago, and evacuations were ordered at Echo Summit.

Residents of Christmas Valley in the South Lake area were told to prepare to vacate their homes while residents between Twin Bridges and Echo Summit were ordered to leave. The developments in El Dorado County came as another new wildland fire started in Tuolumne County, forcing evacuations in Sonora.

The Caldor Fire has burned 139,510 acres and was moving east along Highway 50 on Thursday. Despite the expanded evacuations and warnings, fire officials said they expect to stop the fire from entering the Tahoe Basin.

The Associated Press added:

Firefighters were facing changing weather conditions that could push the fire closer to the Tahoe Basin, a home to thousands and recreational playground for millions of tourists who visit the alpine lake in summer, ski at the many resorts in winter and gamble at its casinos year-round.

…

Visitors are still crowding the highway that loops the massive lake and riding bikes and walking the beaches, but many are wearing masks. The lake, known for its water clarity and the granite peaks that surround it, has been shrouded in dense smoke that has reached hazardous levels.

The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority reversed its advice from earlier in the week and recommended tourists postpone their travel. Previously the group that promotes tourism on the south side of the lake advised letting visitors decide whether to cancel their trips amid smoke and approaching fire.

According to CalFire, the Caldor Fire has burned across nearly 140,000 acres, and is 12% contained.

The Dixie Fire, the second-largest in state history, which became the first-ever fire to burn from one side of the Sierra Nevada to the other, is still burning, having reached nearly 750,000 acres, with 45% containment.

Wildfire management has become a major political issue in the ongoing California recall election, after it was revealed that incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) had overstated his own fire prevention efforts by some 690%.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of the recent e-book, Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. His recent book, RED NOVEMBER, tells the story of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary from a conservative perspective. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.