A growing wildfire in Northern California has prompted officials to issue mandatory evacuation orders for thousands of local residents. The order was issued Tuesday for residents and tourists in the El Dorado County area as the Caldor Fire continues to spread.
The expanding wildfire, which has already seriously injured two people, has already laid waste to more than 30,000 acres of land. The blaze reportedly ignited on Sunday near the Omo Ranch area just 60 miles east of Sacramento.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the fire remains uncontained as firefighters find it difficult to place the blaze under control. The smoke left by the Dixie Fire reportedly hampered efforts to put out the blaze from the air.
"Night firefighting and challenging terrain made accessing the fire difficult. The fire burned very actively throughout the night," the El Dorado Sheriff's Office said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom had already declared a state of emergency for El Dorado County. He had also mobilized the National Guard to assist in the evacuation and rescue efforts. Evacuation routes leading out of the county continue to be jam-packed as people flee from the rapidly growing blaze.
This is terrible. Everyone needs to take this seriously. This is a major major life threat #caldorfire @kcranews livestream pic.twitter.com/pxP1m6SvQT — CA Fire Footage (@CaliFireFootage) August 17, 2021
The town of Grizzly Flats, which has about 1,200 residents, was hit hard by the Caldor Fire. Local reports said two people had to be airlifted to the hospital after sustaining serious injuries. Reports said most of the town had been destroyed by the flames, and only a few homes are now left standing. The town's post office and elementary school were reportedly destroyed completely.
As of Tuesday, authorities had expended the mandatory evacuation orders to neighboring towns and communities, including Happy Valley, Sly Park, and Somerset. Heavy smoke has continued to blanket the area, including Lake Tahoe.
The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services said the evacuation order covers roughly 17,000 residents in Northern California. Apart from the Caldor Fire, the Dixie Fire threatens tens of thousands of residents in the state. Now the second-largest in California's history, the fire has consumed more than 580,000 acres and was barely 31% contained as of Monday.
