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By Cheri Mossburg and Kelly McCleary, CNN
5 minute read
Updated 8:40 PM EDT, Mon August 23, 2021
Firefighters battle flames during the Caldor Fire in Kyburz, California, on August 21.
CNN —
More than 42,000 Californians have been forced to flee their homes as nine large wildfires continue to burn out of control in the northern part of the state, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to request a major disaster declaration from President Biden.
The Caldor Fire, which has scorched 106,562 acres, is the top firefighting priority in the nation, according to Chief Thom Porter of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (Cal Fire).
Officials fear the fire, which is just 5% contained, may push its way into the populated Lake Tahoe Basin, and they warned all Californians to be ready to evacuate.
“I personally don’t believe the fire is going to get into the basin proper,” Porter said of Lake Tahoe. “But I could be born wrong by that. The weather has outstripped and Mother Nature has taken over and taken fires like the Dixie to places that I never thought possible.”
Thick smoke from the raging wildfire turned the sky over Lake Tahoe an ominous orange on Monday, with the Environmental Protection Agency reporting hazardous air quality in the region.
The Dixie Fire – the second-largest fire in state history – which has been burning for more than a month, has grown so large that its perimeter stretches more than 500 square miles. That blaze has swelled to more than 725,000 acres and is now 40% contained.
Two other large fires, the Walker Fire and the French Fire, are still growing, and each inferno has its own specific needs, said Porter, who is helping coordinate the massive effort to deploy resources, including firefighters, aircraft, and equipment to each area as appropriate.
“We’re also working to make sure that we’re resetting and getting our own people home and rested so we can sustain this fight. This is a marathon,” said Porter, noting that late August is about the middle point of the season for large and damaging fires that are expected to burn into the deep fall.
If granted, the presidential declaration would help provide help with housing, unemployment, counseling, and medical and legal services. Public assistance for repairs and replacement of schools, roads, utilities also would be included.
Several counties have already been declared states of emergency.
Flames prompt closure of 9 federal forests
Nine national forests in California were closed Monday.
The US Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region issued an emergency forest service closure through at least September 6, citing “extreme fire conditions throughout northern California, and strained firefighting resources throughout the country.”
“These temporary closures are necessary to ensure public and firefighter safety, as well as reduce the potential for new fire starts,” regional forester Jennifer Eberlien said.
The closures include Tahoe National Forest, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Plumas National Forest, Lassen National Forest, Mendocino National Forest, Klamath National Forest, Six Rivers National Forest, Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Modoc National Forest.
The forest service said anyone violating the order could face fines up to $5,000 for an individual and $10,000 for an organization, as well as up to six months in jail.
Additionally, the Eldorado National Forest, also in California, was closed on August 17 due to the Caldor Fire. That closure will last through at least September 30, the agency said.
The Alisal Fire burns near Goleta, California, on Tuesday, October 12.
A firefighter puts out a roadside fire in Goleta, California, on Wednesday, October 13.
An air tanker drops retardant on a wildfire in Goleta.
James Grooms looks through the remains of his home at the Rancho Marina Mobile Home & RV Park following the Brannan Fire in Sacramento County, California, on Tuesday, October 12.
Firefighter Tyler McManigal battles the Alisal Fire in Gaviota, California, on October 12.
A forest of ashen trees stands in the wake of the Windy Fire, south of California Hot Springs, on September 27.
A volunteer attempts to evacuate horses to safety as the Windy Fire expands in California's Sequoia National Forest on September 25.
Operations Section Chief Jon Wallace looks at the General Sherman giant sequoia tree at Sequoia National Park on September 22. The base of the tree, the world's largest by volume, was wrapped in an aluminum-based burn-resistant material to protect it from wildfires.
Firefighters spray water as flames from the Windy Fire push toward a road in California's Sequoia National Forest on September 22.
Firefighters battling the Windy Fire extinguish a spot fire in the Sequoia National Forest on September 19.
The Windy Fire burns in the Trail of 100 Giants grove in the Sequoia National Forest on September 19.
A helicopter drops water on the KNP Complex Fire burning in Sequoia National Park on September 15.
Flames from the KNP Complex Fire burn along a hillside in the Sequoia National Park on September 14.
This aerial photo, taken on September 4, shows the Dixie Fire on Horton Ridge in Plumas County, California.
Riley Cantrell cries while she and boyfriend, Bradley Fairbanks, view what's left of her mother's home in Greenville, California, on September 4. It was destroyed by the Dixie Fire.
A firefighter is seen as the Caldor Fire rages near California's Silver Lake on September 2.
A helicopter flies over Wrights Lake while battling the Caldor Fire in California's Eldorado National Forest.
Embers fly from a tree as the Caldor Fire burns along Highway 50 in California's Eldorado National Forest.
Veronica Foster, an evacuee from South Lake Tahoe, California, hugs her dog, Gracie, as she and her co-workers gather outside an evacuation center in Gardnerville, Nevada, on August 31. The governors of California and Nevada declared states of emergency as the fast-moving Caldor Fire prompted officials to tell everyone to get out of South Lake Tahoe.
Jason Marone of the Roseville Fire Department hoses down a hot spot in Meyers, California, on August 31.
A tree burns in a blackened forest at dawn on August 30 after the Caldor Fire tore through Twin Bridges, California.
A firefighter winds up hose at a spot fire near Meyers, California, on August 30.
The Caldor Fire burns homes along a ridge near South Lake Tahoe on August 30.
South Lake Tahoe residents are stuck in gridlock while attempting to evacuate the city on August 30.
A tanker makes a fire-retardant drop near Lytle Creek, California, on August 26 as efforts continued to stop the South Fire.
A firefighter tries to extinguish flames at a burning house as the South Fire burned in Lytle Creek, California, on August 25.
From left, Astrid Covarrubias, Jose Lamas and Maria Covarrubias walk through smoke after visiting their burned-out home in Lytle Creek on August 25.
The French Fire continues to spread near Wofford Heights, California, on August 25.
Firefighters are seen behind the flames of a backfire they were setting to battle the French Fire near Wofford Heights.
Crews battle California's Caldor Fire as it moved east toward Lake Tahoe on August 23.
This aerial photo, taken on August 19, shows burned homes at the Creekside Mobile Home Park a day after they were destroyed by the Cache Fire in Clearlake, California.
Firefighters dig a containment line on the Caldor Fire near Pollock Pines, California, on August 18.
Smoke and haze from wildfires obscure the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline on August 18.
In this long-exposure photo, embers light up hillsides as the Dixie Fire burns near Milford, California, on August 17.
Destiney Barnard holds Raymond William Goetchius while stranded at a gas station in Doyle, California, on August 17. Barnard's car broke down as she was helping Raymond and his family flee the Dixie Fire.
Destroyed property is seen August 17 after the Caldor Fire passed through Grizzly Flats, California.
Firefighters spray water on trees being burned by the Dixie Fire near Janesville, California, on August 17.
As the KNP Complex Fire approaches, Forest Service firefighters Armando Flores, right, and Heron Hilbach-Barger clear vegetation around structures at the Ash Mountain headquarters in Sequoia National Park, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021. The blaze is burning near the Giant Forest, home to more than 2,000 giant sequoias.
A firefighting helicopter flies in front of the sun, which was shrouded in thick wildfire smoke near Lakeview, Oregon, on August 15.
Wind blows smoke away for a moment, revealing damage from the Parleys Canyon Fire in Utah on August 14.
Crews battle a fire in Newhall, California, on August 12.
A table and chairs sit in front of a destroyed home in Greenville, California, on August 12.
A firefighter battles the Dixie Fire near Taylorsville, California, on August 10.
Smoke plumes rise from the Kwis Fire near Eugene, Oregon, on August 10.
A firefighter works to extinguish a controlled burn, a preventative measure, to protect a home in Greenville, California, on August 9.
Firefighters battling the Dixie Fire clear a fallen tree from a roadway in Plumas County, California, on August 6.
Flames from the Dixie Fire consume a pickup truck on Highway 89, south of Greenville, California, on August 5.
Operations Chief Jay Walter passes the historic Sierra Lodge as the Dixie Fire burns through Greenville, California, on August 4. The fire leveled multiple historic buildings and dozens of homes in central Greenville.
Firefighters work at a Greenville home that was engulfed by the Dixie Fire on August 4.
The Dixie Fire burns near Taylorsville, California, on July 29.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, and Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak tour an area destroyed by the Tamarack Fire in Gardnerville, Nevada, on July 28.
Firefighter Brentt Call walks through a burned-over area of the Bootleg Fire near Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 27.
Cal Fire Capts. Tristan Gale, left, and Derek Leong monitor a firing operation in California's Lassen National Forest on July 26. Crews had set a ground fire to stop the Dixie Fire from spreading.
Firefighters try to reach a fire site in Quincy, California, on July 25.
Volunteers sort clothing at a donation shelter for those affected by the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon.
Scott Griffin surveys his property, which was destroyed by the Bootleg Fire in Sycan Estates, Oregon.
Flames consume a home as the Dixie Fire tears through the Indian Falls community of Plumas County, California, on July 24.
People stand behind the fire line as flames from the Steptoe Canyon Fire spread through dry grass in Colton, Washington, on July 22.
Plumes of smoke from the Dixie Fire rise above California's Plumas National Forest, near the Pacific Gas and Electric Rock Creek Power House, on July 21.
Firefighters walk near a wildfire in Topanga, California, on July 19.
A firefighter does mop-up work in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, which has been struggling with the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.
A car is charred by the Bootleg Fire along a mountain road near Bly, Oregon.
Nicolas Bey, 11, hugs his father, Sayyid, near a donated trailer they are using after their home was burned in the Bootleg Fire near Beatty, Oregon.
Firefighters extinguish hot spots in an area affected by the Bootleg Fire near Bly, Oregon.
A bear cub clings to a tree after being spotted by a safety officer at the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.
Firefighters work to protect Markleeville, California, from the Tamarack Fire on July 17. The Tamarack Fire was started by a lightning strike.
The Tamarack Fire burns in Markleeville, near the California-Nevada border, on July 17.
A member of the Northwest Incident Management Team 12 holds a map of the Chuweah Creek Fire as wildfires devastated Nespelem, Washington, on July 16.
A cloud from the Bootleg Fire drifts into the air near Bly, Oregon, on July 16.
Firefighters spray water from the Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in California's Plumas National Forest on July 16.
Horses climb a hillside that was burned by the Chuweah Creek Fire in eastern Washington.
Fire from the Bootleg Fire illuminates smoke near Bly, Oregon, on the night of July 16.
A firefighter battles the Bootleg Fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, along the Oregon and California border, on July 15.
A firefighting aircraft drops flame retardant on the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon, on July 15.
Firefighters dig away at hot spots underneath stumps and brush after flames from the Snake River Complex Fire swept through the area south of Lewiston, Idaho, on July 15.
Burned cars sit outside a home that was destroyed by the Chuweah Creek Fire in Nespelem, Washington.
Evacuee Dee McCarley hugs her cat Bunny at a Red Cross center in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 14.
An airplane drops fire retardant on the Chuweah Creek Fire in Washington on July 14.
Operations Section Chief Bert Thayer examines a map of the Bootleg Fire in Chiloquin, Oregon, on July 13.
Fire consumes a home as the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire, tears through Doyle, California, on July 10. It's the second time in less than a year that the small town has been ravaged by a wildfire.
Men hug a member of the Red Cross at a Bootleg Fire evacuation center in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Embers blow across a field as the Sugar Fire burns in Doyle, California, on July 9.
Firefighters monitor the Sugar Fire in Doyle, California, on July 9.
In this long-exposure photograph, taken early on July 2, flames surround a drought-stricken Shasta Lake during the Salt Fire in Lakehead, California.
In pictures: Wildfires raging in the West
The emergency closures in California come as 93 large active fires and complexes have burned 2,503,430 acres across 13 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).
So far this year, more than 41,000 fires have scorched 4,575,051 acres, NIFC data showed. That’s more than a million acres higher than the nearly 3,300,00 acres burned by this time last year.
Some very minor relief is in the forecast as an onshore flow into the Northwest has helped calm fire conditions and clear lingering smoke, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said.
Winds along the frontal boundary of a cold front moving into the area could push some big fires into new acreage, but the next week will see cooler temperatures and higher humidity, which should increase containment, Guy said.
While there’s no significant rain to speak of, the drought monitor in the West shows “miniscule” signs of improvement,” Guy said. “A little is better than none or worse. So the little bit of rain that was received did put a hair scratch (not a dent) in the West’s drought.”
Caldor Fire burns more than 500 structures, threatens thousands more
The Caldor Fire destroyed 557 structures as of Monday and threatened another 17,488, fire officials said. More than 1,600 firefighters are assigned to it.
Parts of El Dorado County are under evacuation orders or warnings. An evacuation warning is also in place in parts of neighboring Amador County.
“This year what we’re seeing more than ever is a set of fuel conditions that many of our professionals that have spent their whole careers fighting fire have never seen before,” El Dorado National Forest Supervisor Jeff Marsolais said in a community briefing Saturday evening.
“The system is as taxed as it has ever been,” he said of firefighting resources. “And our folks on the ground are doing everything they can within their power.”
The Caldor Fire was also cited as the reason two police officers from Galt, California, a small city south of Sacramento, were critically injured in a head-on collision while responding to the fire for traffic management, California’s Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci said.
Investigators don’t yet know what caused the fire to start.
Dixie Fire spread slows
Cows graze in front of a burning hillside during the Dixie Fire in Genesee, California, on August 21.
The Dixie Fire, the nation’s largest active fire, has destroyed more than 1,200 structures and threaten another 12,000.
Evacuation warnings are in place in portions of Plumas, Butte and Lassen counties, according to Cal Fire. In Tehama County, evacuation orders were downgraded Monday to warnings and warnings in three areas were lifted.
“Fire remained active until after midnight. Smoke settled back over the fire in the early morning hours, reducing fire activity,” Cal Fire said in a Monday update on the fire.
“Cooler weather and increasing humidity slowed rates of spread, with isolated torching still observed. Smoke settled back over the fire in the early morning hours. A much quieter weather patterns is shaping up for most of this week,” the update said.
CNN’s Dakin Andone, Michael Guy and Kay Jones contributed to this report.
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