Emerald Fire burning near South Lake Tahoe consumes 210 acres, is now 80% contained

8:00AM update 10/15: Highway 89 remains closed in both directions from Fallen Leaf Lake Road to Emerald Bay due to the Emerald Fire which remains 80 percent contained this morning. Acreage burned is 210 acres.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

There are 3 engines and 12 firefighters still on the scene.

Opening time for Hwy 89 is still unclear. CHP estimates Saturday afternoon and Caltrans estimates the road will be closed until Monday. This is to allow crews to clean up the fallen trees and other debris on, and near, the roadway.

Once it is open we will update this story.

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6:21PM update: The Emerald Fire burning north of Camp Richardson is now 80 percent contained, and burned acreage remains at 210 acres.

195 firefighting personnel remain on the fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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6:00PM update: The mandatory evacuation listed below will remain in effect throughout the night according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office. The fire activity has substantially died down, but the weather (heavy rain and winds) are creating very dangerous conditions to crews attempting to remove hazardous trees near the roadways, and to power crews attempting to replace damaged power lines and restore power.

Further information will be released when available.

All voluntary evacuations lifted on Highway 89 North from Bayview Trailhead to Tahoma.

Mandatory evacuations:

Hwy 89 North closed from Fallen Leaf Road to Bayview Trailhead
Cathedral Road
Baldwin Beach Road
Mt Tallac Road
Spring Creek Road
Alliklik Road
Cahuilla Road
Hupa Road
Karok Road
Mattole Road
Maidu Road
Nicoleno Road
Nicolena Court
Pomo Road
Pomo Court
Wiyot Road
Yurok Road
Cascade Road
Sugar Pine Road
Cascade Lake Road
Upper Eagle Point Campground
Lower Eagle Point Campground

Second evacuation center now open at the Rideout Community Center located at 740 TImberland Lane in Tahoe City. The other one, in the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center, remains open as well.

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12:15PM update: The Emerald Fire area burned remains at 200 acres, and containment is at 25 percent. Highway 89 is now closed from Fallen Leaf Road to Bayview Campground, and the evacuation area north of Bayview has been released. All other evacuations are still in place.

There are currently 35 engine truck companies fighting the fire along with 8 fire crews and 4 water tenders.

11:00AM update: According to Calfire, the Emerald Fire is 200 acres in size and it is now 25 percent contained.

An evacuation center has been established at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd as well as a second one open at the Rideout Community Center located at 740 Timberland Lane, in Tahoe City.

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10:15AM update: The U.S. Forest Service has announced 250 acres have burned at the Emerald Fire which was reported at 1:33 am on Friday, October 14. It continues to burn on California State lands at Emerald Bay and Cascade Lake.

The fire started on the west side of Hwy 89 but jumped the road and reached Lake Tahoe.

Very strong winds ahead of the incoming storm system have been fanning the fire in different directions resulting in dangerous rates of spread. Rain has been falling in the area.

Unified command has been established with US Forest Service, CalFire, and Lake Valley Fire Department responding. 20 engines, 7 crews, 2 water tenders, and 2 dozers are on site with additional resources on order.

The Califoria Highway Patrol, El Dorado County Sheriff's Office and California Conservation Corps are also at the scene.

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10:00AM update: A wildland fire burning north of Camp Richardson has consumed 200 acres since starting at 1:30 a.m. Friday morning. There is no containment at this time.

Wind gusts up to 70 mph and heavy rains both help, and hinder, fire fighting crews from all over the area that are responding to what is now known as the Emerald Fire.

The fire is burning in the Spring Creek drainage area, between Fallen Leaf Lake, Lake Tahoe and Cascade Lake.

There is no cause of the fire determined at this time.

Fuel breaks created by forest management crews has been very effective in the fire area according to CalFire Battalion Chief Scott McLean. He said trees in the fire area had been previously limbed to ten feet, and vegetation had been removed, creating a more park-like setting and leaving not much for the fire to burn.

The first is burning on 60 percent state lands, and 40 percent federal lands according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Highway 89 is closed just south of Camp Richardson to the Vikingsholm parking lot at Emerald Bay.

Animal Control officers at at the Camp Richardson Corral in case animals would have to be evacuated. Some campers at Camp Richardson were seen leaving at 9:30 a.m. but there were no mandatory orders.

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9:40AM update: South Tahoe Now has been at the scene all morning of the Emerald Fire burning in the area between Mt. Tallac, Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe.

The fire has burned 200 acres so far and containment time is unknown. Wind gusts in the fire area are up to 70 mph. Rain is heavy at times which is helping to put the fire out. No flames are visible from Baldwin Beach.

Highway 89 is closed from Camp Richardson to the Vikingsholm parking lot. Evacuations are still in place.

More to follow.

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A mandatory evacuation order has been issued Friday morning for about 500 homes near South Lake Tahoe because of a 200-acre wildfire burning near Cascade Lake, a fire that started at about 1:30 a.m.

The fire, dubbed the Emerald Fire has caused mandatory evacuations at Spring Creek, Cathedral, the west shore of Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Properties and Cascade Lake.

About 500 homes north of Emerald Bay are under a voluntary evacuation order.

Highway 89 is closed from Camp Richardson to Meeks Bay.

An evacuation center has been set up at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center at 1180 Rufus Allen Boulevard.

Winds in the area are remaining strong, with gusts reaching about 50 mph. However, winds are expected to pick up throughout the day.

Some light rain is falling in the fire area and heavier rains are forecast to start at 10 a.m. and last through 7 p.m.

List of mandatory evacuated roads:

Hwy 89 North closed from Fallen Leaf Road to Bayview Trailhead
Cathedral Road
Baldwin Beach Road
Mt Tallac Road
Spring Creek Road
Alliklik Road
Cahuilla Road
Hupa Road
Karok Road
Mattole Road
Maidu Road
Nicoleno Road
Nicolena Court
Pomo Road
Pomo Court
Wiyot Road
Yurok Road
Cascade Road
Sugar Pine Road
Cascade Lake Road
Upper Eagle Point Campground
Lower Eagle Point Campground

All voluntary evacuations lifted on Highway 89 North from Bayview Trailhead to Tahoma.

Second evacuation center now open at the Rideout Community Center located at 740 TImberland Lane in Tahoe City.