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.
-
7 drinks for every winter need possible
The Week Recommends Including a variety of base spirits and a range of temperatures
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
'We have made it a crime for most refugees to want the American dream'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Was the Azerbaijan Airlines plane shot down?
Today's Big Question Multiple sources claim Russian anti-aircraft missile damaged passenger jet, leading to Christmas Day crash that killed at least 38
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hundreds feared dead in French Mayotte cyclone
Speed Read Cyclone Chido slammed into Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Thirteen missing after Red Sea tourist boat sinks
Speed Read The vessel sank near the Egyptian coastal town of Marsa Alam
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Global plastics summit starts as COP29 ends
Speed Read Negotiators gathering in South Korea seek an end to the world's plastic pollution crisis, though Trump's election may muddle the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden visits Amazon, says climate legacy irreversible
Speed Read Nobody can reverse America's 'clean energy revolution,' said the president, despite the incoming Trump administration's promises to dismantle climate policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
At least 95 dead in Spain flash floods
Speed Read Torrential rainfall caused the country's worst flooding since 1996
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Cuba roiled by island-wide blackouts, Hurricane Oscar
Speed Read The country's power grid collapsed for the fourth time in just two days
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Wildlife populations drop a 'catastrophic' 73%
Speed Read The decline occurred between 1970 and 2020
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Floridians flee oncoming Hurricane Milton
Speed Read The hurricane is expected to cause widespread damage in the state
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published