Lowell Fire in Nevada County, Calif. explodes as Kyburz Fire eases
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sat, 07/25/2015 - 6:51pm
11:15AM: Highway 50 is fully opened as more progress is made on the Kyburz Fire. Officials have changed the number of acres burned to 98 acres and the fire is now 80 percent contained. The size change due to more accurate mapping from the infrared flight.
The road is open but motorists need to watch out for firefighting equipment and crews still in the area.
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UPDATE 10AM: CalFire has downgraded the number of acres burned in the Lowell Fire to 1,500 acres. It is 5 percent contained as of Sunday morning. Smoke from the fire has begun move into the Carson City area. Firefighters are also battling the Willow Fire in Madera County south of Bass Lake that also started Saturday. It has grown to more than 1,100 acres as of Sunday morning, closing roads and prompting mandatory evacuations as fire crews worked to protect threatened structures.
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Highway 50 remains open Saturday evening to one-lane traffic as firefighters made significant progress and 70 percent containment on the Kyburz Fire burning in El Dorado County west of South Lake Tahoe. A larger concern is the Lowell Fire that started Saturday afternoon in the Nevada County foothills where it has already consumed 4,000 acres.
CalFire reports the Lowell Fire is growing rapidly. It is located north of Interstate 80 from Gold Run to Alta. Mandatory evacuations are in place for Red Dog, Chalk Bluff and You Bet in Nevada County, and the community of Cascade Shores. Advisory evacuation is underway along the north side of I-80 from Gold Run to Alta in Placer County. Assigned to the fire Saturday are 8 air tankers, 5 helicopters, 12 dozers.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, CalFire says there is a vehicle of interest seen leaving the area near where the fire began. That vehicle was said to be 4x4 white Jeep Wrangler without a top or front doors and a black roll bar. The vehicle was seen in the Gold Run and Dutch Flat areas about 2:30 p.m. Anyone with information is asked to call the Placer or Nevada county sheriffs departments.
Smoke from the Lowell Fire will affect northeast California and northwest Nevada Saturday night into Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Reno. The smoke will likely make it into Truckee and Portola by midnight, with thinner smoke appearing as haze further east. Limit any outdoor activity and windows closed once the smoke arrives.
Meanwhile, the Kyburz Fire has burned approximately 200 acres in the South Fork of the American River canyon, west of the community of Kyburz. The fire is east of Whitehall on both sides of the American River. About 90 percent of the fire is on the north side of the river below Weber Mill Road. CalFire is reducing resources on the fire as of Saturday afternoon and sending them to Lowell Fire.
Traffic is metered at Sly Park road in Pollock Pines and at Meyers. Traffic will be escorted through the fire area alternating east and west bound traffic.
The north end of the fire has been mopped up 100 feet in from the line and checked. The south side of the fire is still in progress as there are hotspots and tree torching in the old Cleveland fire scar. The fire does have a line around it.
PG&E power-lines will be re-energized at 8 p.m. Saturday. Sand Flat is the only campground closed. Fire restrictions are in effect in the Eldorado National Forest. Outside of designated campgrounds only gas fires can be used if you are in possession of a California Campfire permit.
Two small fires at Blue Lakes and at Cody Lake did break out and are being handled by incident personnel. Ice House Reservoir is now open for public use.
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