Mosquito Fire Wednesday update: 76,427 acres and 49% contained

All evacuation orders for both Placer and El Dorado counties have now been lifted, allowing residents to return home. With a significant amount of wetting rain throughout the past four days, fire activity has been minimal and the Mosquito Fire has remained in its current footprint. Firefighters have used this opportunity to make great progress all around the fire before the next warming trend arrives tomorrow.

The fire is 49% contained and 76,427 acres have burned. Just over 2,000 personnel remain assigned to the fire.

Firefighters continue to patrol the southern and western sides of the fire to ensure there are no hot spots, threats of escape, or dangerous conditions that could threaten the communities. On the north end of the fire, crews have been working to secure and hold control lines along Deadwood Road as well as to strengthen the firelines heading south into the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River. Working in steep, rugged and slippery conditions, crews have pushed down into the river drainages of the North Fork of the Middle Fork and the Middle Fork of the American River in order to tie in control lines and secure the eastern flank of the fire. With many of these sections now completed, firefighters will work to strengthen them to ensure they hold if fire activity increases. Crews have also completed most of the portions of the control line from Eleven Pines Road and McCulloh down to the edge of the Rubicon River drainage where more challenges lie.

Crews and equipment are continuing hazard abatement work in the Ramsey Crossing area. These operations include removing fire-weakened trees and snags that pose safety issues to both firefighters and the roadways.

Suppression repair work continued throughout the day in areas where there is not active fire suppression efforts. This work includes addressing more than 200 miles of dozer line around the Mosquito Fire in which the berms will be removed and water bars will be implemented to reduce erosion. Forest resource advisors are working directly with these crews to repair the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones and drop points used during fire suppression efforts. Dry weather with a warming trend will begin Thursday and continue into next week. Warmer temperatures, lower humidity, and light winds are expected.

Structures Threatened: 0
Total Structures Destroyed: 78
Total Structures Damaged: 13

POST-FIRE ASSISTANCE
Placer County Local Assistance Center (tinyurl.com/65xbsw6t):
• 24750 Main St., Foresthill, California (old Foresthill Elementary School)
• September 22, 2022 (12 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and September 23, 2022 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
El Dorado County Local Assistance Center (tinyurl.com/9svdyrr3):
• 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, California
• September 21, 22, 23 (12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and September 24, 2022 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)