Tamarack Fire update Monday: 45 percent containment, US-395 reopens, residents returning
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 07/26/2021 - 10:49am
UPDATE: Evacuations for the Spring Valley and Holbrook areas are lifted at 1:00 p.m. today. Residents are allowed to return to their homes.
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The U.S. Forest Service reports significant progress was made over the weekend fighting the 67,764-acre Tamarack Fire south of Gardnerville, reaching 45 percent containment, with evacuations being lifted for many residents and the opening of two highways.
On Monday morning, authorities re-opened Highway 395 on the east side of the fire and Highway 88 on the west. Yesterday authorities in Alpine and Douglas counties ended evacuations in 15 communities, allowing nearly 2,000 residents to return to their homes, according to the Forest Service. The number of people still under evacuation orders is now approximately 300.
Firefighters continue to take advantage of opportunities to aggressively engage the fire, according to the Forest Service. Hand crews were able to complete containment Sunday of the northern edge of the fire while firefighters added containment in several other critical locations.
Monday's priorities include finishing containment on the northeast corner of the fire and securing more of the southern edge. Thunderstorms are forecast over the fire area this afternoon, and there is a chance that rainfall continues into the evening. The fire is staffed with 1,623 firefighters.
Changes in Evacuations:
In Alpine County, evacuation orders were removed for Diamond Valley Road, Carson River Road, Woodfords, Alpine Village, Markleeville, Marklee Village, Shay Creek, Grover Hot Springs & Campground, East Fork Resort, Crystal Springs, Douglas Way and Wylder Resort. Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for residents of Blue Lakes Road, Upper and Lower Blue Lakes Campgrounds, and residents who live in the SR 4 corridor from Hwy 89 to Ebbetts.
In Douglas County, evacuations were lifted for Topaz Ranch Estates and Topaz Lakes. Non-mandatory evacuations remain in place for the Holbrook Junction/Highlands area and Spring Valley areas.
Road Closures:
Closures ended for Hwys 88 and 395 this morning. Hwy 89 is closed between Hwy 88 and Hwy 395 to all traffic except local residents and incident personnel. Hwy 4 is closed throughout the fire area to all traffic except incident personnel.
Branch I: Division K After several days of working towards each other from the east and west, firefighters successfully finished containment of the entire northern edge of the fire yesterday, from Hwy 395 to Crystal Springs. Today crews will work to extinguish hot spots in the Spring Valley area and may be needed to help secure a portion of Leviathan Mine Road.
Division O Division L has been combined with Division O. Hand crews working the fire’s edge yesterday added containment line on both the north and south edges of the slopover fire that crossed Hwy 395 to the east last week. The containment includes the area near Holbrook. Further south, containment was added to the southeast corner of the slopover, near Topaz Lake. Today, crews will continue working to finish containment of the northeast corner of the fire, which has been showing significant fire activity. Others will continue to help with structure protection, monitoring and patrolling in neighborhoods along Hwy 395.
Branch II: Division Q Fire managers have been moving more personnel and equipment into this division to help with the effort to contain the southern edge of the fire. Yesterday dozers and hand crews worked the fire’s edge from the east near Hwy 395. Others engaged the fire near the Leviathan Mine, where there is still active fire behavior. Firefighters also completed a firing operation along Big Springs Road to remove fuel from the fire’s path. Today, the work continues, as crews push to the west, going as directly as possible along the fire’s edge.
Further south in Division T, resources are being added today to help with efforts to secure new containment line. Firefighters are working a section of this area using a combination of dozers, crews digging handline and cold trailing. Cold trailing is when a firefighter inspects an area using a hand to feel for any remaining heat.
Division A Division Z has been combined with Division A and will focus on the southwest corner of the fire where it sits in steep, remote wilderness area. A division supervisor and a module of firefighters will be scouting in this area today.
Branch III: Division F Yesterday firefighters built upon recent days’ progress and were able to reach containment on the northwest tip of the fire just west of Crystal Springs. Crews identified and addressed a flare-up of trees near the Hawkins Peak communications tower. That fire went out on its own. They also extinguished a small fire that started in a tree to the west of the Tamarack fire in the Blue Lakes area. Today, firefighters will continue efforts to secure control line in the sections of the western edge that still need containment. Crews will also patrol in the Grover Hot Springs and Markleeville areas.
Weather and Fuel Conditions:
Thunderstorms are expected to arrive over the fire area early in the afternoon today. The storms could be capable of producing heavy rains, gusty winds of up to 35 mph and small hail. There is also a chance for light rain showers that could last well into the evening.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TRF):
There have been incursions into the fire’s TFR area by aircraft not associated with the Tamarack Fire. TFR violations can disrupt aerial firefighting operations and may force fire managers to ground essential aircraft. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.
Evacuations, Closures, and Fire Restrictions:
For evacuation notice specifics in Alpine and Douglas Counties visit:
https://www.alpinecountyca.gov/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=EVACUATION-INFORMATI... and
https://www.douglascountynv.gov/government/departments/emergency_managem...
For road closure specifics visit https://roads.dot.ca.gov/ and https://nvroads.com/.
For closures and fire restrictions on National Forest lands, visit
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/htnf/alerts-1069notices/?cid=fseprd573309
Tamarack Fire Statistics:
Size: 67,764 acres
Containment: 45%
Total Personnel: 1,623
Location: Markleeville, CA
Reported: July 4, 2021
Cause: Lightning
