UPDATE: Voluntary evacuations were issued late Wednesday night for all residents in the Topaz Ranch Estates and Topaz Lake areas. Residents were asked to evacuate to Smith Valley High School. Highway 395 is now closed from China Springs Rd. to the NV/CA state line, and at 395 and SR208. The TRE evacuation center is being closed due to the fire.
DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Douglas County is currently conducting preliminary exterior damage assessments of structures including homes, outbuildings, wellhouses and barns in areas where fire activity has been observed.
All evacuations for Douglas County remain in place and US395 remains closed for public safety concerns. A preliminary survey of the area south of Leviathan Mine Road determined that 13 structures have been damaged or lost.
During this first phase of damage assessments, teams consisting of Douglas County building inspectors and East Fork Fire Protection District personnel will work with the County’s GIS department to verify which structures and areas have been impacted and to notify property owners as soon as possible. Areas with known damage will be prioritized for assessment first.
mjacobson@tahoedailytribune.com
A view Thursday afternoon from the Ridge Tahoe. The basin has mostly escaped wildfire smoke but the Carson Valley is suffering. (Provided / Alertwildfire.org)
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The Tamarack Fire continues to rage but so far it hasn’t crossed a key highway that would provide a greater threat to Lake Tahoe.
Officials said the fire has been active due to extremely dry fuels and grew by about 10,000 acres from Wednesday into Thursday. The blaze has grown to 50,129 based on infrared mapping. It’s 4% contained, the first bit of containment since the fire exploded out of control on Friday, July 16.
The Dixie fire burning in Northern Californiaâs Butte and Plumas counties mushroomed to more than 100,000 acres Thursday, becoming the second blaze in the state this year to surpass the megafire milestone.
The aggressive fire has now destroyed at least eight structures, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said, and at least 1,500 more are threatened as it continues its slow crawl east toward Lake Almanor.
The fire was at 103,910 acres and 17% containment Thursday morning, Cal Fire said.
It is the second megafire in the state this year. Days ago, the 105,000-acre Sugar fire in Butte County garnered the designation, for a fire surpassing 100,000 acres.