Kingsbury Grade now open for traffic; cause of fire under investigation

UPDATE 8:02PM: State Route 207 Kingsbury Grade is now open to motorists with controls. Please use caution around firefighters and equipment that remain working the fire.

Fire personnel will remain on scene to gain further containment of this fire. The cause of this fire is still under investigation.

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UPDATE: 7:17PM: Around 200 firefighters remain on scene tonight on the Kings fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade near Lake Tahoe. The fire is approximately 4 to 5 acres in size, Douglas County authorities report. Containment is estimated by 8 p.m.

The fire is in the jurisdiction of the East Fork Fire District and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. No structures were threatened with this fire. One firefighter was treated on scene with heat exhaustion. No other injuries have been reported.

State Route 207 Kingsbury Grade is still closed from Tramway Drive to Foothill Road at this time, however may reopen at 8 p.m. with controlled traffic.

Due to heavy winds and strong gusts aircraft have not been used to battle this fire. The terrain is making it difficult for hand crews to battle the blaze as well. There is no information as to the cause of this fire.

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UPDATE: 7:03PM: The National Weather Service has extended the Red Flag Warning until 11 p.m. Gusty winds and low humidity will continue this evening through the Lake Tahoe Basin, Eastern Sierra and Western Nevada Sierra Front.

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UPDATE 6:53PM: The number of acres burning at the Kings fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade has been revised to between 5 to 10 acres, according to the 6:45 p.m. Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center briefing. No homes are immediately threatened. The fire is under investigation. It is unknown when the fire will be contained.

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UPDATE: 6:39PM: Crews are making good progress getting a line around the fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade, reports Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center at its 6:35 p.m. briefing. No structures are reported to be immediately threatened. Thee is no estimated time of containment.
The fire, at the last report, remains at 10-15 acres. There are 12 engines, and 81 firefighters on the scene, with two handcrews and six command staff.

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UPDATE 5:54PM: High winds have grounded aircraft from fighting the fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade Wednesday evening. A Flag Warning is underway with gusts from 40 to 50 mph in the area, said Christie Kalkowski, public information officer for Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center.

As of 5:45 p.m. the fire, which is burning in sagebrush, grasses and some scattered pines, was between 10 to 15 acres in size, and was being whipped by the winds on U.S. Forest Service land. Fire agencies responding are East Fork Fire Protection District, Tahoe Douglas Fire, the US Forest Service, BLM, and Nevada Department of Fire. The fire is about 1/2 mile below Dagget Summit, Kingsbury Grade.

Go here to follow Sierra Front's website for the latest fire updates.

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UPDATE 4:48PM: Douglas County fire officials report there are no structures threatened at this time. Winds are heavy and estimated at 40-50 mph. Fire crews are on scene and the fire appears to be in heavy fuel at this time.

State Route 207 is CLOSED from Tramway Drive to Foothill Road to motor vehicles till further notice. The area is under a Red Flag warning. It is unknown at this time what caused the fire.

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UPDATE 4:41PM: The fire on the valley side of Kingsbury Grade has grown to between 5 to 10 acres, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch. More firefighters are being requested. There's no immediate word on if any structures are threatened.

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Shortly before 3 p.m. Douglas County Dispatch received a call of a wild land fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade. Approximately 1 mile from the top of Kingsbury Summit smoke was seen on the West side of State Route 207. Fire crews are currently assessing the scene.

At this time, the fire is approximately 3 acres in size but is growing. The wind is blowing strong and is pushing the fire in a northeast direction. Tahoe Douglas, US Forest Service and East Fork Fire Department are currently on scene.

Nevada Highway Patrol has been called to close Kingsbury Grade from the summit to the valley floor.

The Command Post has asked that citizens stay away from SR 207.