Sunday Evening Update: Evacuations lifted in South Lake Tahoe

Evacuation orders for much of South Lake Tahoe were lifted 3 p.m. today as firefighters continued to make progress against the Caldor Fire.

Only Fallen Leaf Lake, Christmas Valley, Meyers and the North Upper Truckee neighborhoods remain evacuated.

“It is important to note that although the evacuation warning was downgraded … potential dangers still exist and we hope residents stay vigilant and safe as they begin to return home,” fire officials said.

Firefighters are slowly stubbing out the angry red ember on the tip of the cigarette that appears to dangle from the mouth of the Caldor Fire as it burns at Lake Tahoe.

Night crews will continue building handline from Trimmer Rock to Fountain Place on the northeastern portion of the fire.
“In the communities of Myers and Christmas Valley, crews continue securing around structures, building additional depth in their mop-up,” according to the 7 p.m. update. “Crews were able to increase their containment line up to the road system near Corral Creek. Around Caples Lake, firefighters continued their extensive mop up operations and building hand lines.”

Officially, the fire was at 215,400 acres on Sunday morning and 43 percent containment. That’s an additional 1,293 acres since Saturday morning’s update.

The CalFire update issued at 7 a.m., indicated that fire behavior overnight was minimal to moderate and that fire crews held the fire within containment lines.

“On the northeastern corner of the fire, direct containment lines are almost tied in below Trimmer Peak, with great progress on mop-up,” fire officials said. “Structure protection groups continue to mop up around structures so it is safe to repopulate some of the communities around South Lake Tahoe in the coming days.”

Firefighters are building dozer lines along the fire above Caples Lake, and are making progress, according to firefighters.

Those fires are burning actively along a five-mile front northwest of Strawberry Creek and around Caples and Silver lakes along the Highway 88 corridor.

Highways 50 and 88 are closed through the Sierra. Highway 50 is only open to residents of the Douglas portion of Lake Tahoe, as is Kingsbury Grade.