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Caldor Fire Tuesday update: 191,607 acres and 16% contained

Overnight fire activity on the Caldor Fire remained active throughout the northeastern and eastern areas of the fire due to poor humidity recovery according to CalFire. Crown fire runs and ember casting remained active covering distances of up to three quarters of a mile. Lower elevations of the fire saw strong down canyon winds that tested control lines in Divisions in the west and northwest. The current red flag warning remains in effect through 11:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 1.

Caldor Fire moves to Lake Tahoe - 186,568 acres and 15% contained

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The Caldor Fire burning in El Dorado County is now 186,568 acres in size and 15 percent contained. Firefighters had a battle on some sides of the fire while having successes on others.

Douglas County starts evacuation warnings due to Caldor Fire

The threat of the Caldor Fire in the Lake Tahoe Basin has prompted evacuation warnings on the Nevada side of the South Shore. Douglas County is asking the following communities to be on the alert and start preparing for potential evacuations. Evacuations have not been ordered at this time, in Douglas County, however there is potential for evacuation orders in the near future. The communities possibly affected are:

• Upper Kingsbury (South)
• Upper Kingsbury (North)
• Central Kingsbury
• Lower Kingsbury
• Round Hill region and roads including Lower Elks Point
• Lake Village

Barton Health suspends all services in South Lake Tahoe due to Caldor Fire

With the Caldor Fire’s continued progression toward the Tahoe Basin, and the urgent need for complete evacuation, ALL Barton services and medical offices are closed. These closures are in effect to ensure community safety and will last through at least Friday, September 3, including Barton Urgent Care and the relocated Emergency Department. For a medical emergency, please call 9-1-1.

All of South Shore Lake Tahoe exits during evacuation as fire enters the basin

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It has been an overwhelming day of evacuating the largest city at Lake Tahoe along with all remaining El Dorado County portions at the lake. Some areas in Christmas Valley and Meyers were evacuated on Sunday and now all evacuations have been completed at this time. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office and its mutual aid partners will be patrolling the streets looking for those who do not belong.

Lyon County opens dry camping evacuation site for RVs and large animals

MINDEN, NV- Lyon County is working with the Nevada Division of Emergency Management to assist with the Evacuation efforts of South Lake Tahoe residents due to the Caldor Fire. Lyon County is not, at this time, opening a shelter. Lyon County is preparing to offer assistance as follows:

Dayton Event Center/Rodeo Grounds

Lyon County has room for 100- 150 recreational vehicles. The address (Map Attached) is 500 Schaad Lane, Dayton Nevada.

Lyon County Fair Grounds

Gardnerville evacuation center fills, Carson City preparing to open community center, Fuji Park

With the Douglas County evacuation center in Gardnerville now full, plans are underway to have evacuees of the Caldor Fire in South Lake Tahoe to two locations in Carson City that will be open later today — the Community Center on East William Street and Fuji Park.

All of the South Shore of Lake Tahoe is being put under mandatory evacuation orders

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The Caldor Fire is forcing evacuation of all of El Dorado County on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. The Code Red system is going area by area so as to not create clogged roads but soon the whole area will be in mandatory evacuation status.

Tahoe Keys
• All residences with the Tahoe Keys community and all residents accessed from the streets connected to Tahoe Keys Blvd, staying east of 3rd Street.

Tahoe Island

Christmas Cheer opening Monday for food needs in South Lake Tahoe

Christmas Cheers is opening its doors today, August 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. unless evacuation orders change.

Director Joanne Shope is opening up on a day they are normally closed so people in need of food can get it. They are located at 1120 Third Street in South Lake Tahoe.

Normal hours for Christmas Cheer is 11:00 a.m. t0 2:00 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.

Bread & Broth is unable to get food deliveries and many volunteers have evacuated, so they will not be open on Monday. Friday's status is dependent on current conditions.

Over 40,000 people evacuated from the beast of a fire: the Caldor Fire at 177,260 and 14% contained

Humidity recovery remained poor overnight and allowed the fire to continue to
actively burn. Fuel conditions remain critical and we still see active crown runs and group torching in the northeastern divisions of the fire. Current fire behavior is contributing to ember casts traveling up to half a mile. We anticipate early morning winds in the northeast area of the fire. Fire weakened trees continue to present a risk for crews.

Red Flag Warning for Lake Tahoe Monday into Tuesday

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Red Flag Warning for the Greater Lake Tahoe and Truckee Area, Alpine, Northern Mono, Southern Lyon and and Western Mineral Counties. It will be in effect from 2:00 p.m. Monday to 11:00 p.m. Tuesday.

Expect gusty winds and low humidity for eastern Sierra and western Nevada.

Winds...Southwest 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph. Higher gusts possible in wind prone areas and along exposed terrain. Ridgetop winds may gust over 50 mph, even during the overnight period.

El Dorado County Superior Court in South Lake Tahoe closed Monday

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For the safety of staff and court users, the South Lake Tahoe Branch of the El Dorado County Superior Court will be closed on Monday due to evacuations and road closures.

The court website will be updated with more information. Visit HERE to check out current schedule.

All of South Lake Tahoe now on evacuation warning or order; Barton Hospital evacuating patients

There are now new evacuation orders and warnings for the Lake Tahoe and Alpine County area. The following are additions to the earlier notice.

Evacuation Order:
El Dorado County
Desolation Wilderness from the watershed ridge to the CA ENF/CA TMU wilderness boundary.

From the El Dorado/Placer county line to Echo Lakes.

Alpine County

Sunday night update: Caldor Fire loses some containment, now at 13% and 168,387 acres

Five thousand more people were evacuated Sunday afternoon after the Caldor Fire made a run for the ridges to the east. It has burned 168,387 acres and containment dropped to 13 percent due to the increase in fire's size at the east/northeast end.

Evacuation orders were issued for Christmas Valley and parts of the South Shore, with warnings extending to Emerald Bay.

According to Calfire, the fire made a "significant run" to the east and northeast" sides today with extreme fire behavior observed.

Not too late to sign up for emergency notifications in El Dorado County

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - With part of the South Shore under mandatory evacuations, will you know when its time to leave?

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has the Code Red emergency alert system that will alert residents when they are under mandatory evacuations and orders.

It's not too late and very important: https://ready.edso.org/. You can sign up with a land line, cell phone (or both) and an email address.

For all of the latest information and maps, links to social media, follow their page: https://edcgov.us/Pages/Caldor-Fire.aspx

Evacuation orders now into the Lake Tahoe Basin

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There is now a large change to the evacuation orders for the Caldor Fire. This is the time to take action immediately if in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Evacuation Order:

El Dorado County
• Christmas Valley from Highway 89 West to Echo Summit
• Highway 89 due West to Watershed Ridge/Echo Summit and South to the Amador/El Dorado County line.

Critical fire weather at the Caldor Fire Sunday: 156,515 acres and 19% contained

The Caldor Fire is now 156,515 acres in size and remains 19 percent contained. Sunday is a critical fire day as its the hottest and driest day since the fire started on August 7 and will be challenging firefighters all day before the winds come and add to that challenge.

The big plume of smoke over the fire seen through the Armstrong Lookout Alert wildfire camera at 10:00 a.m. is the fire consuming fuel on its own as there are no firing operations planned today. Firefighters will be working to create new control lines over the ridges today.

Caldor Fire Saturday night update: 152,545 acres and remains at 19%

The Caldor Fire has now burned 152,545 acres and remains at 19% contained.

The overnight inversion layer over the fire was present until 2:00 p.m. Saturday which decreased fire spread, spotting, and visibility well into today’s firefighting operations. As the inversion lifted erratic winds and low humidity increased fire activity with ember casts of up to one mile, according to the Calfire Press Information Officer (PIO) Saturday evening.

America's Most Beautiful Tour de Tahoe bike ride postponed to 2022 due to Caldor Fire

Bike the West has had to postpone their America's Most Beautiful Tour de Tahoe which was set for Sunday, September 12, 2021. Organizers had to make the difficult decision due to unhealthy air quality from the Caldor Fire burning to the southwest of Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe man now the Master Maker, Kingman wins Season 3 of Making It

In what could be the happiest and kindest competition show on television, the third season of Making It ended Thursday, with a Lake Tahoe man taking home the coveted title of Master Maker and a check for $100,000.

Adam Kingman, a 2010 Whittell High School graduate, brought home top honors from the show that showcased his artistic and creative MacGyver-like skills which are blended with repurposing and crafting.

Vahalla Tahoe postpones/cancels some shows due to Caldor Fire

With the Caldor Fire burning to the southwest of Lake Tahoe, and out of an abundance of caution, Valhalla Tahoe has decided to postpone its next three shows.

The Boathouse 25th Anniversary Show with Dirty Cello has been rescheduled for October 6, 2021. Claudia and Bruce will be opening the show and proceeds will still go to the Boathouse Theatre Lighting project.

If you purchased tickets and are no longer able to attend due to the date change or no longer wish to attend due to the mask requirement or COVID-19 surge, please email info@valhallatahoe.com for a full refund.

Weekly recap of COVID-19 for counties around Lake Tahoe

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Weekly roundup of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in counties around Lake Tahoe, except for El Dorado County which is a daily update.

EL DORADO COUNTY

There have been 92 new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County since Thursday. The previous drive-through testing facility in South Lake Tahoe has been closed due to smoke all week so testing is limited.

Pollock Pines, Camino, Kyburz - 651 cases - +7 - The 14-day new case rate is 62 with 457 per 100,000 residents.

Military personnel mobilized to provide wildfire support

At the request of the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, 200 active-duty U.S. Army soldiers are being sent by the Department of the Defense to Northern California to assist with wildfire suppression efforts this September.

After receiving training, the soldiers will serve as hand crews, assisting with wildfire suppression efforts, just as other Army teams did to support 2020's August Complex and Creek wildfires.

Road Beat: Review ~2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid is all about style

Style, style, style. Here's living proof that people-moving crossovers don't have to be boring.

How do you (attempt to) dethrone such normality like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V? By building something like the all-new Tucson. From Hyundai, everybody's favorite value brand they love to crack now unjustified jokes about, this is a new compact crossover SUV designed to ignite some creativity into a field defined by conformity. However, is it more than just its eye-grabbing exterior and charming interior?

Day in Paradise canceled due to smoke, fire and COVID concerns

The South Lake Tahoe Optimist Club canceled this year's Day in Paradise, originally scheduled for August 28 due to the Caldor Fire.

"Due to the air quality, fire concerns and COVID concerns, the Optimist Club has made the tough decision to cancel this year's Optimist Club Day in Paradise and Duck Race. We hope that all understand the we did not make this decision lightly and hope to be back next year," said the club in a statement.

The planned silent auction will move to an online format and will let the public know when that happens.

15th day of Caldor Fire: 149,684 acres and 19% contained

The Caldor Fire, which started on the evening of August 14, has so far burned 149,684 acres in El Dorado County. The contained is 19 percent. Containment lines are at the head of the fire, the western edge.

The nighttime inversion layer returned bringing a reduction in fire spread, spotting, and visibility. Down-canyon winds and low humidity increased fire activity in Division D, the area south of Pollock Pines near Sly Park Road Firing operations continued in the eastern flanks, while firefighters took advantage of the slow easterly winds to improve control lines.

Caldor Fire Friday night: Containment 19% as 145,463 acres burn; New evacuation orders for Pleasant Valley

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - "We're doing everything we can so the fire doesn't make it into Tahoe," said Calfire incident commander Eric Schwab during Friday's community meeting.

Emergency closure of courts due to smoke from Caldor Fire

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to widespread smoke from the Caldor Fire, the El Dorado Superior Court is under an emergency order to protect staff and court users.

The order allows the court to extend the last day for time not waived jury trials and for preliminary hearings through September 17. This allows people the Court flexibility in terms of pulling officers away from dealing with the state of emergency to come to court and testify. Also, many people in the County have been evacuated, displaced or have left their homes.

Taking care of South Lake Tahoe homeless during adverse conditions

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - While most people can go inside to get a reprieve from the smoke filling the Lake Tahoe Basin, there is a population that cannot - the homeless.

The Tahoe Coalition for the Homeless (TCH) has been working to assist this population of vulnerable people. They have been providing information and protection to these unsheltered individuals at their offices and their team members have been doing outreach in known encampments.

City of South Lake Tahoe and tourist agency: Now is not the time to visit Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (LTVA) is recommending visitors postpone any immediate travel plans to the area due to impacts from the Caldor Fire. The tourism agency representing both California and Nevada on the South Shore consulted with local authorities Thursday, including the City of South Lake Tahoe.

Smoky Lake Tahoe as Caldor Fire grows to 143,951 acres

The Caldor Fire is now 143,941 acres and remains 12 percent contained. While containment lines may grow on one end, the fire growth on another end has left the percentage of area with a strong containment line around it remains the same. There will be heavy smoke once again in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Suspicious fire overnight in South Lake Tahoe; Vehicle catches fire while transporting wood

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Fire personnel from Lake Valley Fire and the US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) were called to the scene of an illegal bonfire above High Meadow Trail on Wednesday night at approximately 8:24 p.m.

The first responders were able to quickly put out the fire which LTBMU said was about 3' x 3'.

Two LTBMU patrol units were up in the area Thursday to look into the cause which is still under investigation.

COVID-19 cases for Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - There have been 80 new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County since yesterday. COVID testing is limited in South Lake Tahoe due to cancelations due to smoke of the outdoor testing facility at El Dorado Beach. The County is trying to move it to an indoor location.

Pollock Pines, Camino, Kyburz - 671 cases - +7 - The 14-day new case rate is 60 with 442 per 100,000 residents.
El Dorado Hills - 2802 cases - +17 - The 14-day new case rate is 189 with 445 per 100,000 residents.

Caldor Fire Thursday night update: 139,510 acres and 12% contained

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The Caldor Fire southwest of Lake Tahoe led to new evacuation orders and warnings (see below) but there no evacuation orders in the Lake Tahoe Basin at this time. As of Thursday evening, the fire has burned 139,510 acres and remains 12 percent contained.

The main fire spread was on the northeast side along Highway 50 and the
community of Strawberry. Low humidity and up-canyon winds contributed to

Douglas County Sheriff's Office seeks public's help in Zephyr Cove theft case

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect involved in the theft of packages from a residence in Zephyr Cove.

The suspect is identified as a male adult, approximately 30-years-old, with dark hair and a mustache.

On August 24, 2021, at approximately 4:32 p.m., a white Toyota Tacoma backed into a driveway in the Zephyr Cove area. The male driver exited the vehicle, and stole a number of packages sitting near the residence. He placed them in the bed of the truck before driving away.

High-speed pursuit from Meyers into Douglas County leads to arrest of homicide suspect

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - An Arizona man wanted in connection with a homicide was arrested Thursday after a high speed chase that reached speeds over 100 mph.

A white Cadillac passed by a license plate reader in Meyers that alerted law enforcement the vehicle was associated with a man wanted for homicide. The California Highway Patrol began pursuit and called ahead to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at 2:44 p.m. to let them know to expect the vehicle. It had turned east at the intersection of SR89 and SR 88.

Lake Tahoe boat inspections on pause due to smoke

Watercraft inspection stations at Lake Tahoe that help to prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS) are closed until further notice due to hazardous air quality and wildfire precautions, according to Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program agencies. Watercraft inspection stations will remain closed until it is deemed safe for personnel to return to work, they said.

South Lake Tahoe issues local emergency proclamation due to Caldor Fire

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The City of South Lake Tahoe is outside the evacuation warning and order areas for the Caldor Fire, but they issued a local emergency proclamation Thursday to leverage federal and state resources in response to the Caldor Fire.

Lake Tahoe Unified School District postpones start of school year due to Caldor Fire evacuations

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - With the evacuation warnings for the Caldor Fire moving to the Christmas Valley area of Lake Tahoe, the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) has postponed the start of the school year.

Since students live in both the evacuation warning and order areas, school with now start on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.

LTUSD said in a statement the health and safety of all families in the community is at the forefront, especially those that live in areas affection by the warning and order.

STPUD asks customers to conserve water during fire emergencies

There are no evacuation orders currently in place for the Tahoe Basin. Many in the community are packing their emergency supply kit and coming up with an evacuation plan to prepare in case of fire. The South Tahoe Public Utility District reminds customers to turn off irrigation systems and outdoor hoses in the event of an evacuation.

New evacuation warning issued for Christmas Valley and Hope Valley

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - Calfire has extended the evacuation order and evacuation warning information for the Caldor Fire and includes part of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

An evacuation warning has now been issued for Christmas Valley from SR89 west to Echo Summit, SR89 due west to Watershed Ridge and south to the Amador/El Dorado County line, SR89 south from Luther Pass Road to Picketts Junction on SR88, and west on SR88 to Kirkwood.

El Dorado County opens Local Assistance Center for those affected by Caldor Fire

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - El Dorado County officials today announced the scheduled opening a Local Assistance Center (LAC) this Friday, August 27 to provide County and State services, information and resource referrals to individuals, families and businesses impacted by the Caldor fire.

“In these times of natural disaster, it can be overwhelming to know where to turn for help,” said Board of Supervisors chair, John Hidahl. “The LAC is a one-stop location to help our residents start the process of rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.”

Caldor Fire burning southwest of Lake Tahoe now 136,643 acres and remains 12% contained

The Caldor Fire in El Dorado County has been mapped at 136,643 acres and is 12 percent contained as of Thursday, August 26 at 7:00 a.m. It was remapped overnight from the air.

Throughout the evening hours and overnight, the fire remained active in the
Northeast with most growth occurring in Divisions I and J. Critical fuel conditions, steep and rugged terrain still present a challenge for crews. Firefighters are continuing with the firing operations in Divisions A and W to help strengthen control lines. A division map can be seen above.

Phish moves Lake Tahoe concert to Shoreline Amphitheater

Due to the hazardous conditions caused by the Caldor Fire, Phish has announced their two Lake Tahoe shows will not take place as planned. Originally scheduled to be at the Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena on August 31 and September 1, they will now play those two shows at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif. on the same dates.

Tickets for the Lake Tahoe shows will automatically be honored on their respective days at Shoreline. Seating at these shows will be general admission, and please note different timing: 5:30 p.m. Doors Open/ 7:00 p.m. Show.

COVID-19 cases for Lake Tahoe and El Dorado County

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - There have been 41 new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County since yesterday.

Pollock Pines, Camino, Kyburz - 664 cases - +2 - The 14-day new case rate is 57 with 420 per 100,000 residents.
El Dorado Hills - 2785 cases - +16 - The 14-day new case rate is 184 with 433 per 100,000 residents.
Diamond Springs, El Dorado - 610 cases - +5 - The 14-day new case rate is 58 with 617 per 100,000 residents.
North County - 64 cases - +5 - The 14-day new case rate is 72 with 497 per 100,000 residents.

Caldor Fire evening update: 126,566 acres and 12 percent contained

The Caldor Fire grew 384 acres in size during the day Wednesday and it is now 126,566 acres and 12 percent contained. Today the Northeast section of the fire continued to grow, adjacent to Highway 50 and Twin Bridges, due to up-canyon winds and spotting. Critical fuel conditions, steep and rugged terrain still present a challenge for firefighters.

Overall, the fire experienced slight growth throughout the day while firefighters worked to strengthen containment and control lines.

Caldor Fire - Next couple of days are critical

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - With the weather changing over the next two days, firefighters working the Caldor Fire southwest of Lake Tahoe will have good conditions on gaining containment on the 126,000+ acre fire.

During their nightly 5:00 p.m. virtual community meeting, the incident team from Calfire and the US Forest Service updated the public on the status and current situation.

Lift Literature celebrates almost 80 South Lake Tahoe students who logged 96,288 minutes of summer reading

Lift Literature is celebrating the winners of its inaugural Summer Reading Challenge! This year’s challenge was sponsored by the San Francisco Giants, Lovin’ Lake Tahoe, Loan Officer Heather Topol with Guild Mortgage, Andrea Drew Consulting, and Aloha Ice Cream.

Over 80 students completed the challenge and read a combined total of 96,288 minutes! Lift Literature believes that all Tahoe kids should be excited and passionate readers.

Grand Prize Winners
Grant Prize winners won 4 tickets to see the San Francisco Giants. Winners were awarded by age category.

El Dorado County VHRs now have 500 foot clustering rule

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - In order to strike a balance between quality of life for those living in El Dorado County and those who own second homes and rent them out to tourists, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the first reading of an updated vacation home rental (VHR) ordinance.

The updated provision prohibits new vacation rentals within 500 feet, measured from property line to property line, of a legally existing vacation home rental.

El Dorado County Sheriff's report

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office responds to calls throughout the county. The following are calls that only pertain to the South and West Shore, including Meyers, South Lake Tahoe, Meeks Bay, Tahoma, and the Echo Summit area. There may be some missing calls due to sheriff's logs not being completed at the time of the story.

Last Log: http://southtahoenow.com/story/08/13/2021/el-dorado-county-sheriffs-report

Added to that log after publication:

8/8
6:20 a.m. - Search and Rescue - US50 - MEDICAL AIDE SEARCH AND RESCUE AT RALSTON TRAIL

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