Fork Fire 1753 acres, 34% contained; Slink Fire 26,752 acres and 71% contained

The Fork Fire west of Lake Tahoe remains at 1,752 acres and is now 34 percent contained. Low pressure off the coast will advance toward the region, bringing an increase in afternoon southwest winds across ridge tops and aligned drainages. Dry conditions will persist with slight cooling.

The front will pass over the area on Friday, driving gusty southwest and west winds with cooler temperatures and higher humidity. Little to no precipitation is expected.

Due to favorable weather and a positive change in the fire behavior over the last couple of days, evacuation warnings in Quintette, Volcanoville, and Stumpy Meadows have been lifted.

It is important to understand this does not mean the danger is gone. If the wind, temperature, resources, or any number of other factors were to change, the fire could change direction, speed, and intensity. We encourage all of the residents in the areas of Quintette, Volcanoville, and Stumpy Meadows to be prepared to evacuate immediately. Please visit readyforwildfire.org for advice on how to prepare your family and property for evacuation. Focus on being "set" to go and this link can take you to the specifics of what that means https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-set/.

Slink Fire

The Slink Fire burning southwest of Topaz Lake is 26,752 acres and is now 71 percent contained. It has been responsible for some of the smoke over Lake Tahoe this week. Smoke may continue to be visible in the coming days.

On Wednesday, the fire exhibited moderated fire behavior and saw little growth yesterday, partially due to the heavy smoke that settled in over the area. Crews continued work on the southern end of the fire towards Coyote Valley Creek, building containment line directly on the fire’s edge and extinguishing hot spots in steep and rugged terrain. Similar operations took place on the north end of the fire and hard work from firefighters increased overall containment to 71 percent. On the eastern side of the fire, personnel continue to further secure the established fireline, as well as perform rehabilitation work such as repairing roads and culverts that were damaged during the fire.

Command of the fire has transitioned to a Type 3 Incident Management Team, Nevada Team 2, who will continue full suppression objectives. The number of personnel has decreased but remains at a level that will support the needs of the incident.

To view daily updated information, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7105/, and follow the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest on Facebook (@HumboldtToiyabeNF #SlinkFire) or Twitter (@HumboldtToiyabe #SlinkFire).

The Closure Order for the Slink Fire area remains in place. To view more, please visit the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest Website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/htnf/alerts-notices/?aid=61374. Please stay out of the area for public safety as well as the safety of the fire personnel. Additionally, the Bureau of Land Management issued a closure order for the fire area. For information on this closure, please go to: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Slink_Fire_BLM_Closure_09032020_508.pdf.

Additionally, significant fire activity throughout the state has contributed to the dense smoke and poor air quality in the area. Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ to view updated smoke impacts.

Creek Fire

Another smoke producer, the Creek Fire has burned 228,025 acres and is now 18 percent contained. It covers three counties, Fresno, Madera and Mariposa in the Sierra National Forest.

North Zone - Active fire behavior, with long range spotting of about 1 mile on the northwest, north and northeast portions of the fire. On west side, the fire will continue to be active.

South Zone - The fire became very active this afternoon as humidity dropped and the smoke from the Castle moved off to the east. The north, east and southeast increased activity with active runs, torching and short crown runs. The fire progressed south along the rim of the South Fork of the San Joaquin River, and east of Shaver Lake. Spotting created issues with fire spread near control lines. The heavy fuels are retaining heat and increasing activity in the afternoons.