North Fire Grows To 650 Acres; 3 Campgrounds & Lake Valley Reservoir Area Evacuated
8:21 p.m. Update - The fire has burned 650 acres so far, according to the Placer County Sheriff's Office.
We are not currently evacuating additional people at this time from the area of the #NorthFire in Emigrant Gap.
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) September 4, 2018
7:52 p.m. Update - Information on resources being used on the North Fire, from USFS.
Acres burned: 200
Hand crews: 15 type I or type II; initial attack
Containment: 0%
Engines: 7 strike teams of Type III engines
Expected containment: unknown
Bulldozers: 6
Cause: Unknown
Helicopters: 3 type 1, 2 type III
7:20 p.m. Update - Officials say the fire may grow to 600 acres before it's put out. Officials say to expect major delays on I-80 due to weekend holiday traffic because of the fire.
I-80 at EMMIGRANT GAP On ramps and off ramps & Yuba Gap ramps closed due to fire . pic.twitter.com/T9am1y4dbY
— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) September 4, 2018
#NorthFire https://t.co/e4898fdGn0
— Colleen (@CocoFournier) September 4, 2018
200 acre fire in the North Fork of the American River Canyon. Rapid rate of spread, burning in mixed brush and timber. Multiple resources responding...
— USFS Tahoe NF (@Tahoe_NF) September 4, 2018
6:23 p.m. Update - Cal Fire helicopters are seen loading up to fight the North Fire.
#NorthFire water dropping helicopters loading up for wildfire exploding in size this Labor Day pic.twitter.com/Gtw8iCYiPv
— stevelarge (@largesteven) September 4, 2018
6:23 p.m. Update - CHP is shutting down eastbound offramp access on I-80 at Emigrant Gap, Lainge and Yuba Gap. The westbound Yuba Gap offramp is also closed.
The fire could grow to as much as 600 acres, officials say.
6:15 p.m. Update - This is the first aerial footage of the fire, which was tweeted by The Maine Event on Twitter around 5 p.m. today.
6:05 p.m. Update - Although I-80 isn't reportedly being affected by the fire, Placer County authorities earlier today urged drivers to avoid the area. Map below.
RT CALFIRENEU: RT CAL_FIRE: Firefighters are battling a 200 acre fire off North Fork Campground, south of Emigrant Gap (Placer County). #NorthFire Unified Command: CALFIRENEU & Tahoe_NF https://t.co/FrCK99QUv1
— Jonathan Cox (@firechiefcox) September 4, 2018
5:58 p.m. Update - From the Placer County Sheriff's Dept. "We have a dozen units conducting evacuations in #EmigrantGap b/c if #NorthFire. Lake Valley Reservoir area is also being evacuated."
⚠️We have a dozen units conducting evacuations in #EmigrantGap b/c if #NorthFire. Lake Valley Reservoir area is also being evacuated. ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/9fKqz4tOZq
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) September 4, 2018
5:38 p.m. Update - The fire is not posing a danger to Truckee or Donner Summit, according to Truckee Fire Dept.
PLACER COUNTY (CBS13) - Sheriff's deputies are headed to the North Fork campground in Emigrant Gap to assist Cal Fire with evacuations, according to a Placer County Sheriff's Department tweet.
So far, the fast-moving wildfire has burned at least 200 acres of steep canyon terrain.
The North Fork, Onion Valley, and Tunnel Mills campgrounds are being evacuated because of the North Fire, which started in the North Fork Campground. No structures are immediately threatened, said Tahoe National Forest public information officer Micheal Woodbridge.
Authorities say traffic on Interstate 80 is quite heavy and they're urging travelers to avoid the area of Emigrant Gap.
The campgrounds are located along Texas Hill Road.
North Fork Campground is 78 miles northeast of Sacramento in Tahoe National Forest.
View of the #NorthFire and returning tanker from Applegate. Tone mapping (HDR) used to show smoke detail. pic.twitter.com/Ah94SxWuML
— James Nelson (@cryptopixel) September 4, 2018
Same fire pic.twitter.com/j7qPa0FuRn
— Mrs april J mesna (@MesnaMrs) September 3, 2018
⚠️Please avoid the area of Emigrant Gap. Very heavy traffic on Interstate 80. Travel in the area is not recommended. Campgrounds are being evacuated. ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/N9XOL3CXAg
— Placer Sheriff (@PlacerSheriff) September 3, 2018
Saw this coming home from the Reno area. #northfire #i80w pic.twitter.com/Oes1yu6gvY
— Kristen Fazlic (@kayfrizz) September 3, 2018
Seen from I-80 West near Emigrant Gap #NorthFire pic.twitter.com/tJeeRX4LHe
— Bob Kupbens (@bob_k) September 3, 2018
#NorthFire estimated at 75 acres now. https://t.co/29ko7tG1rH pic.twitter.com/Zj5OR65Z13
— YubaNet (@YubaNet) September 3, 2018