American Fire Now 1,200 Acres, Covering Parts Of Sierra Foothills In Smoke
PLACER COUNTY (CBS13) — A major fire fight continues for a third day in the Sierra foothills, as smoke from the American Fire is visible miles away.
The fire has scorched 1,200 acres in the Tahoe National Forest. It's burning in a heavily forested area with very steep terrain.
Officials say depending on the wind, smoke from the fire about 17 miles northeast of Foresthill on Deadwood Ridge can be seen from Reno to Roseville.
Thick, hazy smoke from the American Fire can be seen billowing above the hills in the Tahoe National Forest, eventually settling into nearby valleys.
The remote location of the fire is making it hard for crews to access it from the ground.
"It's down in an area that's pretty hard to get to, so I feel for the guys, 'cause they really have to hike down in there to save our butts."
Neighbors say the smoke is so thick in the mornings, it looks like fog.
"My allergies have been going crazy. First thing this morning, I smelled the smoke, instant headache. Dealing with that, and having to work, do the things you need to do, trying to get anything done around the yard, you're like, 'Forget it.'"
Air-quality advisories are in effect for several nearby counties.
Even with no evacuations in place, residents are ready to leave a moment's notice.
"Very scary. I packed up all my things ahead of any evacuation order, but that's what we do. If you live up here, you need to be prepared."
In the meantime, they'll be keeping close watch and sending their support to crews keeping them safe.
Because of the difficult terrain and wind, the fire is zero-percent contained. That means we could be dealing with smoke and bad air quality for up to another week.
