King Fire's Rapid Spread Forces More Than 100 To Evacuate Near Pollock Pines
5:25 P.M. UPDATE: Voluntary evacuations are in effect for
- The community of Mosquito.
- Residents east of Sly Park Road between Highway 50 and Park Creek Road. This extends east to fresh pond from R Little
POLLOCK PINES (CBS13) — The King Fire continued to tear through El Dorado County on Monday, forcing more than 100 people to flee as the flames threaten their homes.
The fire grew to more than 3,900 acres overnight and is only 10 percent contained as it burns in a canyon on the south fork of the American River, northeast of Pollock Pines.
The smoke plume lingering over the area continued to grow as crews had a hard time knocking down the fire, because of strong winds and dense terrain.
Large planes performed air drops over the fire as residents forced from their homes watched from below.
Crews are also fighting the flames on the ground, building containment lines to protect nearby homes.
The flames at one point caused a burnover, forcing an inmate hand crew near the most active part of the fire to take cover for their lives. Cal Fire says the crews deployed fire tents, which protected them.
"The fire basically blows up on them and they have no where to go," said spokeswoman Lynne Tomalchoff, "They will get to their escape route, pull out the shelters, cover themselves in the shelter until that active fire burns over them and is gone so they can safely get out of their shelters and out of harm's way."
The fire is burning in an area that hasn't seen a fire in decades, meaning dense terrain and strong winds on
Air quality alerts are out for Nevada, Plumas and Sierra counties because of the smoke.
Schools will remain closed on Tuesday in the Pollock Pines area.