CA Fires Latest: Tahoe Spared For Now; Biden Vows Federal Aid

Los Angeles CA

02 September, 2021

6:58 PM

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CALIFORNIA — More than 57,500 homes and buildings remain under threat from 16 massive wildfires burning across the state Thursday. Calling the state's wildfires a 'climate crisis' Thursday, President Joe Biden said that the Pentagon was assisting with ongoing firefighting operations in California against the Caldor fire. More than 15,000 firefighters are battling the fires as temperatures across Northern California are expected to heat up 5 to 10 degrees heading into the Labor Day weekend. In an effort to stave off further catastrophe, the U.S. Forest Service has shut all but one of California's National Forests. The Dixie fire, the second-largest in state history, and the Caldor fire broke records this week, with both fires burning from one side of the Sierra Nevada to the other, the Los Angeles Times reported. The Caldor fire is now the 15th largest fire in California history, Cal Fire reported Thursday. However, residents in the Tahoe region expressed gratitude Thursday that the winds were in their favor, sparing the famed resort community, for now. Strong winds and dry conditions that drove the Caldor fire east through high elevations of the Sierra Nevada for days faded after the hub of a Northern California gem known the world over threatened to burn down. Thousands were forced to flee the region's largest city, South Lake Tahoe. "I feel like we are truly the luckiest community in the entire world right now. I'm so incredibly happy," said Mayor Tamara Wallace, who evacuated to Truckee, California. But wind gusts were likely in some areas, and the forest was still extremely dry, officials warned.Still, the mood was one of optimism, given the speed with which the fire grew earlier in the week. Flames raced so quickly toward the resort city that officials ordered a mass evacuation of all 22,000 residents on Monday before ordering those across the state line in Douglas County, Nevada, to leave a day later. Since the start of the year, wildfires have burned more than 1.9 million acres in California. SEE ALSO: CA Wildfires: How To Check If Your Home Was Damaged In Southern California, crews made significant progress on the Chaparral fire, which exploded over the weekend at the edge of the Cleveland National Forest in Tenaja, sending residents fleeing from their homes. As of Thursday morning, the firefighters were holding the blaze at 1,427 acres, with 79 percent containment. NEW: San Rafael Blaze Triggers Evacuations Across the Southland, temperatures were expected to remain unseasonably cool through Thursday. But a warming and drying trend was expected to pick back up through the weekend throughout the region, elevating fire risk again. The National Park closures will remain in effect through Sept. 17 as the wildfire threat shows no sign of abating. READ MORE: California's National Forests To Close Ahead Of Labor Day Weekend "We do not take this decision lightly but this is the best choice for public safety," Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlein said. "It is especially hard with the approaching Labor Day weekend when so many people enjoy our national forests." PHOTOS: Caldor Fire Rages Through South Lake Tahoe Click here to see an interactive map of all fires burning in California. (CAL FIRE) Fires Of Interest Burning In The Golden State Caldor Fire: El Dorado County, South Of Grizzly Flats – El Dorado National Forest 210,259 acres, 25 percent contained.32,000 structures threatened. 811 structures destroyed.Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place, new evacuation orders issued. Chaparral Fire: Riverside And San Diego Counties — Southwest Of Murrieta – Cleveland National Forest 1,427 acres, 79 percent contained.Evacuation orders and warnings in place.Unified Command Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service. Dixie Fire: Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Tehama And Shasta Counties 859,457 acres, 55 percent contained.Nearly 12,700 structures threatened.More than 1,282 structures destroyed (14th most destructive wildfire).Evacuation orders and warnings in place for multiple communities.Unified Command of Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service. French Fire, Kern County, Sequoia National Forest 25,781 acres, 43 percent contained.Evacuation orders in place. Monument Fire: Trinity County, Five Miles West Of Big Bar, Shasta-Trinity National Forest 176,579 acres, 29 percent contained.20th largest fire in California history.Over 10,500 structures threatened.Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place. Federal Incidents Antelope Fire: Siskiyou County, Five Miles South Of Tennant, Klamath National Forest 71,501 a acres, 73 percent contained. Knob Fire: Humboldt County, Two Miles South Of Willow Creek, Six Rivers National Forest 2,066 acres, 34 percent contained.Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place McFarland Fire: Shasta, Trinity And Tehama Counties, Shasta-Trinity National Forest 122,653 acres, 98 percent contained River Complex: Siskiyou County, Seven Miles West Of Callahan, Klamath National Forest 114,359 acres, 14 percent containedComplex comprised 23 fires; 16 fires containedEvacuation orders in place. McCash Fire: Siskiyou County, Ten Bear Mountain McCash Creek, Six Rivers National Forest 44,977, 1 percent contained. Walkers Fire: Tulare County, 16 Miles Northeast Of Springville, Sequoia National Forest 8,304 acres, 52 percent contained. Lava Fire: Siskiyou County, Northeast Of Weed, Shasta-Trinity National Forest 26,409 acres, 95 percent contained.Two structures damaged.23 structures destroyed. Beckwourth Complex: Lassen/Plumas Counties, Northeast Of Beckwourth, Plumas National Forest 105,670 acres, 98 percent contained.23 structures damaged.148 structures destroyed. South Fire: San Bernardino County, North Of Fontana – San Bernardino National Forest 819 acres, 85 percent contained.Evacuation orders and warnings remain in place. Tamarack Fire: Alpine County, South Of Gardnerville, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest 68,637 acres, 82 percent contained. Extended Attack Incident Lassen FIRE, Marin County, Lucas Valley, Marinwood 44 acres, 90 percent contained. K-Rail Fire, Humboldt County, 4 miles southeast of Hoopa 16 acres, 35 percent contained.Forward spread has been stopped. Railroad Fire: San Bernardino County, Off Interstate 15 In The Cajon Pass – San Bernardino National Forest 61 acres, 95 percent contained. Roadside Fire: San Bernardino County, Cajon Pass – San Bernardino National Forest 50 acres, 100 percent contained. Washington Fire, Tuolumne County, West Of Sonora 100 acres, 100 percent contained. Historic drought and recent heat waves tied to climate change have made wildfires more difficult to quell on the West Coast. Rising temperatures have made the American West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive, scientists have said. And the explosive pace of new wildfires showed no sign of slowing. The Dixie fire is the Golden State's largest wildfire so far this year. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. equipment may have ignited that fire, according to a report released by the utility last month. Last month, a repairman reportedly spotted what he suspected to be a blown fuse while he was responding to an outage in Feather River Canyon off state Route 70 in Oroville. Because of rough terrain and roadwork, the worker could not reach the pole for several hours, the utility said. By the time he reached the area, two or three blown fuses may have sparked a fire at the base of a healthy green tree leaning on the pole that held the conductor. The combination of worsening drought, rising temperatures and arid fuels pointed to another devastating wildfire season, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned in May. "You're already feeling the temperature shifts," he told reporters. "You already saw those red flag warnings, which are earlier in May than we've seen in many, many years because of the winds that are coming earlier. " READ MORE: Tenaja Evacuations Remain Monday For Chaparral Fire Near MurrietaSan Rafael Blaze Triggers EvacuationsFree Air Filtration Device Program Expands To Entire Bay AreaBay Area Air Quality Advisory Issued For MondayMassive Fire Threatens Lake Tahoe, More Ordered To Flee4 Key Things To Know About CA's 2021 Wildfire SeasonPG&E Says Its Equipment May Have Sparked NorCal Fire Patch Editor Kat Schuster and the Associated Press contributed to this report.