Caldor Fire forces evacuation of South Lake Tahoe

[anna.]

This is really sad news.

Traffic nightmare as Caldor Fire forces evacuation of South Lake Tahoe

Mandatory evacuation orders were imposed late Monday morning ahead of a red flag warning for gusting winds that is expected to last until 11 p.m. Wednesday. With highways 50, 88 and 89 all closed below the Tahoe Basin, people are being funneled out of town toward the Nevada state line. Anyone wishing to head toward Sacramento or the Bay Area cannot do it directly via Highway 50; they must drive north to connect up with I-80 near Truckee.

Justin Sullivan, a photojournalist for Getty Images, said the line of cars on Highway 50 hadn't moved in over 45 minutes, while a photographer for the Press Democrat said he'd been stuck in gridlock for over 90 minutes. About 20,000 people live in South Lake Tahoe.

 

[Jeremiah Ames]

Traffic is almost always intense there.

I can’t imagine how horrible it is when they actually have to evacuate.

 

[sun rise]

 

[anna.]

Remembering good times at Emerald Bay, really hoping the fire doesn't make it that far.

 

[anna.]

Encouraging news today:

Live fire updates: Caldor Fire moves slowly, containment lines grow

A positive trend — Update: 9 a.m.
The fire expansion figures continued to trend in a positive direction. The blaze burned 2,648 acres over a 24-hour period ending at 7 a.m. Friday, one of the smallest 24-hour spreads during the 19-day-old fire. It has expanded 8,517 acres since Wednesday night, when a red-flag warning for bad fire conditions expired.