Mosquito fire grows past 50,000 acres in ‘historically dry’ brush as another blaze ignites west of Tahoe
A new fire is burning south of Lake Tahoe near the Nevada border, becoming the largest wildfire to strike California this year.
The fire, which broke out shortly after 10 a.m. (9:30 a.m. ET), burns through more than 50,000 acres of brush, near the town of Truckee and has been dubbed the “Pine Fire.”
The blaze has been described as a “tinderbox” after it exploded into the sky in the middle of the night and sent black plumes billowing into the early morning. It broke out during a mandatory fire watch Thursday, but hasn’t reached its peak yet.
The fire is expected to burn for several more days, with evacuation orders in place for the northern, eastern and western areas of the fire.
In addition to the huge blaze, another fire continues to burn about 2.5 miles away in the state’s northwest corner, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It is the largest wildfire burning in the state this year. It has been dubbed the “Bald Hills Fire,” after the nearby hills that are still black and are a source of concern for firefighters.
As of Thursday, some firefighters were trying to contain both blazes, as winds gusting up to 30 mph tore through the area, causing trees and brush to start falling.
Bald Hills Fire Update:
The Bald Hills Fire is located near Eola Peak Road, south of Lake Tahoe and west of Truckee. It has grown to about 100 acres and is burning in the area of Eola Peak Road in the Bald Hills on the north side of the summit.
The fire is burning in a very dry, brush-covered area, with an average high temperature of 95 degrees and an average relative humidity of 72 percent.
EOC fire personnel are