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The Caldor Fire started on August 14, 2021, at 6:54 p.m. The following day, as the massive smoke plume billowed above on August 15, it was not long before I could see it rising over the treetops to the east.

I watched websites begin posting the evacuation orders.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - There have been 34 new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County since yesterday.

Pollock Pines, Camino, Kyburz - 808 cases - +7 - The 14-day new case rate is 62 with 457 per 100,000 residents.
El Dorado Hills - 3182 cases - +5 - The 14-day new case rate is 132 with 311 per 100,000 residents.
Diamond Springs, El Dorado - 716 cases - +2 - The 14-day new case rate is 42 with 447 per 100,000 residents.
North County - 783 cases - +2 - The 14-day new case rate is 44 with 304 per 100,000 residents.

Out of an abundance of caution due to the latest developments of the Caldor Fire, the difficult decision has been made to postpone the Welcome Back Tahoe, Honoring Our Heroes Community Event originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25. It was going to be held at Lake Tahoe Community College in conjunction with the Tahoe Brewfest. The Brewfest will still take place with family-friend activities including food trucks, and activities. The only entry charge is for those tasting beers.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The first in a series of in-person workshops to discuss potential solutions to the spread of aquatic weeds that threaten all of Lake Tahoe is scheduled Saturday, Oct. 9. It will be held at the Tahoe Keys Pavilion at the end of Ala Wai Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

A proposed permit for an aquatic weeds control methods test (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System or NPDES) is currently under consideration before the Lahontan Water Board.

Join the Tahoe Chamber for the next Town Hall on Friday, September 24 at 11:00 a.m. The focus will be on the impacts of the Caldor Fire on the South Shore.

City officials and key agencies will provide behind-the-scenes insight on the recent evacuations and provide an update on fire containment and forest restoration.

The Virtual Town Hall is free to attend and open to the public. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions to be answered following the presentations. To join, pre-register at tahoechamber.org/events.

The following speakers will be participating:

Firefighters observed an increase in active fire today in the Strawberry Creek and Caples Creek areas today due to the warm, dry weather. Gusty winds over the fire have caused pine needles and small branches to fall into lingering heat sources causing them to flare up. In anticipation of the weather conditions, crews were strategically staged, ready to engage in the areas most impacted by high winds.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - There was an early morning raid on Monday at a suspected illegal marijuana cultivation operation in Douglas County. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Reno Resident Office was joined by other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to serve two search warrants at the operation on federal land.

USDA Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment teams are multi-disciplinary teams sent to federal lands following significant wildfires to characterize the fire effects to watersheds, identify imminent post-fire threats to human life and safety, property, infrastructure, and critical natural and cultural resources. Once the assessment is complete, the team develops BAER emergency treatment recommendations to mitigate identified risks.

Many of the safety protocols at Vail Resorts across the country last winter have been changed or dropped by the corporation as they released their Winter Operating Plan for the 2021-22 ski and ride season yesterday. Face coverings will be required indoors, not outdoors, and proof of a COVID-19 vaccination required to eat indoors and for employees.

The protocols for this season were shared in a letter to guests Monday, and focus on the spaces most prone to transmission – those located indoors. Heavenly and Northstar will open November 19 followed by Kirkwood on December 3.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Lake Tahoe Historical Society is hosting the final Tahoe History Talks at the Beach for the season on Tuesday, September 21. An hour with the Sierra Alphorn Players will start at 5:30 p.m. at El Dorado Beach at Lakeview Commons (you'll find them on the shady west side of the amphitheater-style outdoor seating.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After a chilly start today along with below average highs this afternoon, high pressure will bring warming temperatures with dry conditions this week. Gusty winds are possible Wednesday although
no strong wind events are expected this week. There is a chance of showers next weekend; however, confidence remains low according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno.

The weekly forecast for South Lake Tahoe from NWS Reno;

Today - Sunny, with a high near 72. East wind 5 to 10 mph.

There comes a moment in a crisis when the things that matter shift. As the Caldor Fire crept its way up the Highway 50 corridor, many of us watched anxiously and worried about the smoke. A few days later when walls of flame had consumed 100,000 acres just outside Tahoe, what mattered was packing irreplaceable photographs, grabbing phone chargers, and checking fuel gauges. As neighborhoods and shopping centers emptied and the rest of the Tahoe Basin took to the edge of their seats, new worries took over too. What will we come back to? Have we done enough to get ready for this day we hoped we’d

There will be a South Lake Tahoe community blood drive on Friday, September 24 from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Parks & Recreation Gym, 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd.

Donors are encouraged to make an appointment but walk-ins will be welcome and accommodated if space allows.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care (LTWC) has successfully released over 17,000 birds and animals to their native habitats. Everything they do is to ensure orphaned and injured animals can be released back to the wild.

With drought conditions leading to extreme wildfires throughout the region, LTWC's vital services have become even more critical in aiding injured and orphaned wildlife.

On Sunday morning, the Caldor Fire remains 218,876 acres in sie and 71 percent contained. Winds hampered any needed air support on Saturday.

Gusty winds developed Saturday afternoon resulting in an increase in fire activity and smoke production from interior pockets of unburned vegetation. Firefighters engaged where needed and where safe to do so. Despite high winds, the fire remained within the existing footprint with no additional growth beyond control and containment lines. The highest wind gust recorded was 55 mph at 9100-feet.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - The Caldor Fire Law Enforcement Security Team and the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO) have spent the past several days investigating several crimes attributed to one person who is now accused of committing dozens of crimes on the South Shore during the recent State of Emergency. They also arrested a couple after a month-long investigation into local crimes.

Tuesday's gubernatorial recall election failed in the state of California, but in El Dorado County over 57 percent of the voters supported it. The results reflected the normal trend in the county to not support candidates who are members of the Democratic Party.

In the whole state, the recall failed by a margin of 63.5 percent to 36.5 percent. There were 6,703,848 voters casting the "no" ballot.

El Dorado County was not alone in the Sierra and eastern half of the state with only Nevada County voting to stop the recall.

The mapping of the Caldor Fire reduced a little today due to better mapping. It is now at 218,876 acres and remains 71 percent contained.

Weather will be a challenge for firefighters over the next couple of days as we enter a Fire Weather Watch on Saturday. Winds over the fire began to increase Friday with ridgetop winds from 13-18 mph and 20-25 mph tomorrow with gusts up to 35 mph. Crews are concentrating their efforts on areas that still have active fire that could grow in wind events.

UPDATE 9/18 3:45PM - The two local power companies have moved the entire South Lake Tahoe and Shore Shore Nevada into an elevated warning stage. For more, visit HERE.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The El Dorado County Food Bank will be in South Lake Tahoe on Wednesday, September 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with their free Farmer's Market. They will be set up in the parking lot of St. Theresa Church with extra food due to the current need brought on by the Caldor Fire evacuations.

For over 20 years the Food Bank has been supplying food to the South Lake Tahoe community. Not only do they give food directly to residents, they also give food to local nonprofits for their clients.

After almost being lost in the 2007 Angora Fire, the historic Angora Lookout buildings were protected from the 2021 Caldor Fire with aluminized structure wrap.

As the fire made a move to the east, firefighters working ahead of it had time to proactively protect properties by cutting limbs, reducing vegetation, removing flammable material and bulldozing lines.

They had a contingency plan to also cover the historic lookout to protect it from radiant heat and embers by using what looks like a lot of aluminum foil.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - There have been 70 new cases of COVID-19 in El Dorado County since yesterday.

Pollock Pines, Camino, Kyburz - 783 cases - +6 - The 14-day new case rate is 56 with 413 per 100,000 residents.
El Dorado Hills - 3135 cases - +12 - The 14-day new case rate is 150 with 353 per 100,000 residents.
Diamond Springs, El Dorado - 707 cases - +2 - The 14-day new case rate is 54 with 574 per 100,000 residents.
North County - 768 cases - +6 - The 14-day new case rate is 43 with 297 per 100,000 residents.

FRIDAY UPDATE: The PSPS has been dropped for most of South Lake Tahoe (the yellow areas) but remains in the red zones. For more, visit http://southtahoenow.com/story/09/17/2021/most-south-lake-tahoe-not-facing-power-shut-sunday-meyers-....

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Liberty Utilities has announced they may implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) for the areas in yellow and red in the map due to extreme fire conditions.

Alpine Watershed Group is hosting its 21st Markleeville Creek Day
this Saturday, September 18, 2021. This event allows for the completion of important restoration work through several projects across the Carson River watershed. Volunteers will have the opportunity to plant sod plugs in Hope Valley, remove invasive weeds from meadows and riparian zones, cleanup roads as part of the Adopt-A-Highway program, provide well needed maintenance at an ADA trail, or help improve Markleeville’s downtown curbside appeal through a community beautification project.

No experience is necessary.