Kingsbury Grade now open; wildfire near Lake Tahoe remains under investigation
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Wed, 06/12/2013 - 4:09pm
UPDATE 8:05PM: State Route 207 Kingsbury Grade is now open to motorist with controls. Please use caution around firefighters and equipment that remain working the fire.
Fire personnel will remain on scene to gain further containment of this fire. The cause of this fire is still under investigation.
***
UPDATE: 6:43PM: Crews are making good progress getting a line around the fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade, reports Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center at its 6:35 p.m. briefing. No structures are reported to be immediately threatened. Thee is no estimated time of containment.
The fire, at the last report, remains at 10-15 acres. There are 12 engines, and 81 firefighters on the scene, with two handcrews and six command staff.
Go here to follow the latest from Sierra Front and here for coverage on Carson Now's sister website www.SouthTahoeNow.com.
***
UPDATE 5:30PM: High winds have grounded aircraft from fighting the fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade Wednesday evening. A Flag Warning is underway with gusts from 40 to 50 mph in the area, said Christie Kalkowski, public information officer for Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center.
As of 5:15 the fire, which is burning in sagebrush, grasses and some scattered pines, was between 10 to 15 acres in size, and was being whipped by the winds on U.S. Forest Service land. Fire agencies responding are East Fork Fire Protection District, Tahoe Douglas Fire, the US Forest Service, BLM, and Nevada Department of Fire.
Kingsbury Grade is closed between Foothill Road (SR206) on the east and Tramway Drive on the west.
Go here to follow the latest from Sierra Front and here for coverage on Carson Now's sister website www.SouthTahoeNow.com.
***
UPDATE 4:51PM: Douglas County fire officials report there are no structures threatened at this time. Winds are heavy and estimated at 40-50 mph. Fire crews are on scene and the fire appears to be in heavy fuel at this time.
State Route 207 is CLOSED from Tramway Drive to Foothill Road to motor vehicles till further notice. The area is under a Red Flag warning. It is unknown at this time what caused the fire.
The fire on the valley side of Kingsbury Grade has grown to between 5 to 10 acres, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch. More firefighters are being requested. There's no immediate word on if any structures are threatened.
Shortly before 3 p.m. Douglas County Dispatch received a call of a wild land fire on the Carson Valley side of Kingsbury Grade. Approximately 1 mile from the top of Kingsbury Summit smoke was seen on the West side of State Route 207. Fire crews are currently assessing the scene.
As of 4:10 p.m., the fire is approximately 3 acres in size but is growing. The wind is blowing strong and is pushing the fire in a northeast direction. Tahoe Douglas, US Forest Service and East Fork Fire Department are currently on scene.
Nevada Highway Patrol has been called to close Kingsbury Grade from the summit to the valley floor.
The Command Post has asked that citizens stay away from SR 207.
- $12
- BLM
- carson
- caution
- center
- closed
- county
- Douglas
- Douglas County
- equipment
- fire
- firefighters
- forest
- high winds
- highway
- information
- Lake
- Latest
- Nevada
- Nevada Highway Patrol
- News
- personnel
- Pines
- POST
- public
- Red
- Red Flag Warning
- service
- Sierra
- Smoke
- staff
- state
- strong
- tahoe
- U
- website
- Wednesday
- wind
- Carson Valley
- Forest Service
- Lake Tahoe
- wildfire
