Widespread poor air quality as Mosquito Fire remains 20% contained, 69,908 acres

The Mosquito Fire has burned 69,908 acres and remains at 20% containment. Poor air quality is an issue Friday around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Reno, and Carson City. Farmer's Market on Ski Run has been canceled, and schools in the Tahoe-Truckee School District are closed due to very unhealthy air.

Firefighters continued to hold the Mosquito Fire within existing control lines along its western and southern flanks. The aggressive work of firefighters has minimized damage and further spread into affected communities along the fire's edge. With the threat of stronger winds in the coming days due to an incoming cold front, crews will relentlessly patrol the fire's perimeter for heat, smoke, and any potential issues that could cause the fire to jump containment lines. On September 13th, firefighters and the public saw firsthand how quickly a spot fire could jump control lines and threaten the communities again with little to no time to escape.

On Thursday, the fire's eastern flank remained active with steady growth towards the Ramsey Crossing area. There, crews are using defensive firing operations along the Eleven Pines Road and control lines running south through Devil's Peak to stop the fire's growth towards McCulloh. Firefighters have continued work to hook the fire around the southeast corner by constructing control lines and using strategic firing operations when possible in the Stumpy Meadows area. Crews plan to utilize the Wentworth Springs Road as well as hand and dozer lines moving north across the Rubicon River drainage. With increased smoke shading on the northern portion of the fire, firefighters have made progress in holding their control lines along Deadwood Road.

The persistent southwest winds will continue and become even stronger as the approaching cold front arrives this weekend. Cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and wetting rains are forecasted for Sunday and lasting into early next week. Firefighters will welcome precipitation, but the stronger winds have the potential to cast embers farther out in front of the fire. Crews will continue the difficult work of constructing primary and contingency lines ahead of the north and eastern portions of the fire. With multiple steep and rugged river drainages to navigate, creating contingency lines will provide firefighters and communities with a secondary safety net should the fire jump primary control lines.