Monday morning Mosquito Fire report: 76,290 acres and 39% contained

The Mosquito Fire burning in El Dorado and Placer counties is now 39% contained and 76,290 acres in size. Over 3,700 personnel are currently assigned to the fire which has destroyed 78 homes and damaged another 13.

Containment on the Mosquito Fire has nearly doubled in the past 36 hours. This increase in containment can be attributed to the hard work of firefighters who have been working around the clock to strengthen and secure
containment lines in and around the communities. Due to this increase in containment, the current wet weather, and the quick response from cooperating utility partners, law enforcement officials were able to repopulate many of the surrounding communities on Sunday. Evacuation orders and warnings continue to be in place for several communities and areas that are still impacted by the fire perimeter. Firefighters continue to conduct extensive mop-up operations in these remaining areas, including tasks such as extinguishing all remaining hot spots, mitigating fire weakened trees, and working with cooperators to ensure that these areas are safe for the public to return to.

On Sunday, moisture saturation decreased fire behavior significantly; however, areas under thick canopies were less affected by the light precipitation and were still available to burn. Heavier rains and south winds over the fire continued overnight. Firefighters and equipment remained in the communities throughout the night. Protecting life and property remains a top priority for firefighters, and crews continue to patrol the containment lines along the communities to ensure there are no slop overs or spot fires as a result of embers or debris crossing the fireline. Crews and equipment will continue to work along the eastern flank of the fire where it is possible to conduct operations safely in order to keep constructing direct control lines. With rainy and wet conditions in the area, crews must remain vigilant for the increased hazards that come with the additional
precipitation. This landscape is already steep and rugged, and it becomes even more treacherous with the addition of rain, making the terrain muddy and slippery.

Continued wetting rains will continue through the day and into Tuesday. A Flash Flood Watch is currently in place for the fire area for potential ash and debris flows from forecasted scattered thunderstorms. The storm is
predicted to taper off by Wednesday, with a warming trend starting Thursday.

For Placer County information: Interactive evacuation map: placer.ca.gov/evacuations, Mosquito Fire information: tinyurl.com/234azf6d

For El Dorado County information: Interactive evacuation map: bit.ly/3ATtqao, Mosquito Fire information: edcgov.us/mosquito-fire-information