Tahoe Douglas Fire evacuating Reggae Festival at Hard Rock due to lightning

Submitted by paula on Sat, 06/27/2015 - 6:54pm
Several lightening strikes in South Lake Tahoe area

7:15 p.m. update:

The storm passed through and the concert is back on.

Original Story

The 6,000 people attending the Reggae Festival at the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe are being evacuated because of lightning in the area.

Several strikes of lightning in the South Lake Tahoe area Saturday evening prompted the necessity to get the people out according to Tahoe Douglas Fire Marshal Eric Guevin. He was expecting the open the venue back up as soon as safe. As of 6:45 p.m. Saturday, the lightening was in the ridge about Glenbrook.

Guevin told South Tahoe Now that there was a lightning strike on Kingsbury Grade but no reported fire yet. He said they have a crew looking.

"The Markleeville fire started with a lightning strike that was there for two weeks before starting a fire so we take these things very seriously," said Guevin.

East Fork Fire Department has had a very busy Saturday evening so far, with several strikes of lightning including two on Genoa Peak.

"They are getting hammered in the Carson Valley," added Guevin.