Tens of thousands of people who fled South Lake Tahoe in the teeth of a wildfire were returning home as crews finally managed to stall the advance of flames scant miles from the resort.
Nation and World
The 213,000-acre Caldor Fire south of Lake Tahoe saw its smallest daily growth in two weeks, allowing 5,500 residents to return home after being evacuated, fire officials say.
The fire, which began Aug. 14, has destroyed 650 homes and nearly 200 other structures and still threatens nearly 32,000 more.
Better weather on Thursday helped the battle against a huge California forest fire threatening communities around Lake Tahoe.
The Caldor Fire’s gallop toward South Lake Tahoe eased throughout the day Wednesday, with the fire still swelling to nearly 208,000 acres but containment also increasing to 23 percent.
Perhaps more than with other wildfires in the Western U.S., this one resonates the world over. Lake Tahoe is an international destination, a glorious wedding backdrop, a sparkling jewel in John Muir’s Range of Light.
The Caldor Fire was 3 miles outside of South Lake Tahoe on Tuesday, officials said. The National Weather Service warned that weather conditions Wednesday would include wind gusts up to 30 mph.
Firefighters battling a stubborn California wildfire Friday near the Lake Tahoe resort region faced gusty winds and dry conditions that made vegetation ready to burn.
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