Caples Creek Fire within prescribed burn parameter, now 25 percent contained

The Caples Fire burning southwest of Lake Tahoe is now at 2,400 acres and is 25 percent contained. The fire started as a prescribed burn but was changed to a wildland fire Thursday afternoon which allowed more resources to be sent to the scene. It is still within the planned prescribed burn project area.

Smoke is still in the Lake Tahoe Basin and Carson Valley. Smoke sensitive individuals are encouraged to reduce their exposure by avoiding smoky areas, closing windows, or staying indoors.

The prescribed burn project began on September 30 as pile burning under favorable conditions following rain and snowstorms. The prescribed fire was within prescription and achieving the goals of the project of reducing fuels loading and create vegetation conditions that allow fires to burn with lower intensities and create defensible space. Once the red flag warning for the wind event was forecasted fire managers began building fire lines and conducting firing operations to secure and strengthen the fire perimeter before the wind arrived.

The containment lines held well through the wind event into Thursday morning when the winds changed direction pushing the fire farther to the south and west and increasing the fire activity. This activity increase took the project out of prescription as the project objectives were no longer being met.

On October 10, the Caples fire was converted to wildfire from a prescribed fire allowing managers to obtain additional resources not normally available to USFS Eldorado for a prescribed fire, such as dozers and engines from partners like CALFIRE.

The Caples fire is now being managed for full suppression.

Due to the active fire operations in progress, hiking and hunting in the Silver Fork/ Caples Creek area is not recommended. Roads are blocked at the following intersection: Packsaddle Pass and Silver Fork Road; Packsaddle Pass and 11N19; Mormon Emigrant Trail and Silver Fork Road; Martin Meadows, Margaret and Shealor Lake Trailheads, and Schneider Camp. If you see a road blocked for fire activity please comply to keep firefighters and the public safe.

High pressure will continue to weaken over the region the next couple of days which will result in lighter winds at 10 to 15 mph although humidity recovery levels will continue to be low. The weather is still a factor in the progression of this fire. A weather system could bring a slight chance for some showers over Northern California next week.