Lake Tahoe and Western Nevada getting smoke from two California fires

Two large California fires are sending smoke into Lake Tahoe, Reno and the Carson Valley. For several days, smoke from the Ferguson Fire has filled the area skies, but today most of the smoke came from the one-day old Carr Fire.

The Ferguson Fire burning west of Yosemite continues to burn through rugged, hard to access terrain. Officials reported a 764-acre growth in the fire today for a total of 46,675 acres as of 6:00 p.m. Friday. Containment is at 29 percent.

Crews along the western perimeter worked on extinguishing isolated hot spots inside the fire line. To the north, firefighters explored whether new containment lines could be constructed closer to the fire’s perimeter by linking a network of roads with hand and dozer lines.

Authorities are extending the closure of the Yosemite Valley to August 3.

Near Redding in Northern California, the Carr Fire burning at Whiskeytown in Trinity/Shasta County is now 48,312 acres and 5 percent contained. A dangerous fire tornado overnight burned homes, killing two people. Almost 5,000 structures are in the fire's path, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents.

Among the evacuated are the town of French Gulch, the Shasta Dam Visitor's Center and Shasta Lake City.

Smoke from the fires is forecast to come into the area again on Saturday and Sunday.