Caldor Fire comes closer to South Lake Tahoe, as 'turbulent winds' vex firefighters


Firefighters battling the Caldor Fire near South Lake Tahoe, California, have been dealing with strong winds and aren't expected to get a break until late Wednesday night.
On Tuesday, gusts of more than 50 mph were reported, and crews are worried about embers flying that could spark new fires. Forecasters say extreme winds moving to the east and southeast are expected through 11 p.m. PT Wednesday. As the Caldor Fire entered the Lake Tahoe Basin early Tuesday, there were "turbulent winds," David Lauchner, a battalion chief with the Sacramento Fire Department, told the Los Angeles Times. He described the blaze as "crazy" and said it's been doing "stuff I've never seen before."
Although there are no flames in South Lake Tahoe and fire crews are hoping to keep it that way, the resort town was put under a mandatory evacuation order on Monday so residents and visitors would have enough time to get out safely. The Caldor Fire jumped between Highway 50 and Highway 89 on Tuesday, and is now threatening the community of Meyers and the Echo Summit mountain pass. As of Tuesday morning, it had burned 190,000 acres and was just 16 percent contained.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Chris Anthony on Monday evening gave a bleak assessment of the situation, saying that crews have historically "used terms such as 'anomaly,' 'unprecedented,' or 'extreme' to describe the wildfires that we have seen burn throughout the state over the past 10 to 20 years. These terms are no longer appropriate given the clear trends associated with drought, changing climate, and unresilient forest stands."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
5 cracking cartoons about broken nest eggs
Cartoons Artists take on plummeting value, sound advice, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Mental health: a case of overdiagnosis?
Talking Point
By The Week UK Published
-
The Canadian: taking a sleeper train across Canada
The Week Recommends Unique and unforgettable way to see this 'vast and varied' landscape
By The Week UK Published
-
Severe storms kill dozens across central US
Speed Read At least 40 people were killed over the weekend by tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rain helps Los Angeles wildfires, risks mudslides
Speed Read The weather provided relief for crews working to contain wildfires, though rain over a burn area ups the chances of flooding and mudslides
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Should Los Angeles rebuild its fire-prone neighbourhoods?
Talking Point The latest devastating wildfires must be a wake-up call for Los Angels to 'move away from fire-prone suburban sprawl'
By The Week UK Published
-
The worst wildfires in California history
The Explainer Total damage from the ongoing fires could be up to $150 billion, according to AccuWeather
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
How will home insurance change after LA's fires?
Today's Big Question Climate disasters leave insurance industry in crisis
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
What happens to wildlife during a wildfire?
The explainer Flames also affect the flora and fauna
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Death toll rises in LA fires as wind lull allows progress
Speed Read At least 24 people have died and 100,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden cancels Italy trip as raging LA fires spread
Speed Read The majority of the fires remain 0% contained
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published