California Wildfire Moves Toward Lake Tahoe, Forces Community Evacuation

The Caldor fire has already burned for 191,000 acres, as more than 3,500 firefighters have been deployed to stop the fire from heading toward the area.

August 31, 2021

cali fire — Photo by Neal Waters/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
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A raging wildfire approached Lake Tahoe this week and has forced a mass evacuation of nearby California communities.

The Caldor fire has already burned for 191,000 acres, the BBC reports, as more than 3,500 firefighters have been deployed to stop the two-week-old fire. More than 700 properties have been damaged or destroyed, as the 22,000 residents South Lake Tahoe, which is a tourist destination for those looking to enjoy the lake, were asked to evacuate Monday.

Since the fire broke out, the U.S. Forest Service has announced the closing of all national forests in California until Sept. 17, as Caldor isn’t the only fire running ablaze right now. The Dixie Fire is also still going, as it has burned 800,000 acres and is the second-largest fire in California history. But California isn’t the only state facing potential evacuation warnings in certain areas.

“I’m standing here and I’m getting all ash particulates on my jacket, even,” Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said, upon declaring a state of emergency Monday in fear of the fire reaching his state, per the Associated Press. “This is serious, folks. This is extremely serious.”

As it stands, the AP reports that more than 600 structures have been destroyed in the fire, and at least 33,000 other structures were in harm’s way.