SATURDAY 9 a.m. UPDATE: SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Brice Bennett, Public Information Officer with Calfire’s Amador El Dorado Unit, said the Emerald Fire burning in South Lake Tahoe was 210 acres and 80 percent contained as of late Friday. “No change this morning,” Bennett said this morning. “Crews briefing now to get the hazardous tree assessment going.” The wildfire was first reported at 1:33 a.m. Friday. Unified command was established with the U.S. Forest Service, Lake Valley Fire and Calfire. Click here to watch social media coverage of the fire. The fire is burning in the Cascade Lake/ Emerald Bay region of South Lake Tahoe. Very strong winds Friday were fanning the fire in different directions, resulting in dangerous rates of spread, officials said. Heavy rain later Friday, however, helped crews control the blaze. Follow our social media stream below with live updates from various public agencies. You can contribute as well with text, photo and video updates by using the hashtag #EmeraldFire on Twitter or Instagram. The original story strings are below. —— UPDATE: 2:30 p.m. FRIDAY According to the Washoe County School District, classes proceeded normally today at Incline Middle School, and kids went home on time. The evacuation center set up there in case evacuees from South Lake Tahoe needed shelter is being shut down. According to reports, the Emerald Fire remains at roughly 200 acres and 25 percent containment. Click here to watch social media coverage of the fire. ——- UPDATE: 11:50 a.m. The fire is now at 209 acres in size, and remains at 25 percent containment, as of 11:45 a.m. Friday, according to the Lake Valley Fire Protection District. Click here to watch social media coverage of the fire. So far, there are no reported injuries, nor have any structures been burned, although 500 remain threatened. Evacuations: Mandatory- Spring Creek, Cathedral, West shore of Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Properties, Cascade Lake. Evacuations have been released North of Bayview Trailhead all others are still in place. The original story string is below. UPDATE: 11:10 a.m. FRIDAY The fire is now at 25 percent containment, and remains at 200 acres. A previous update from the U.S. Forest Service indicated the fire had grown to 250 acres is not accurate, according to an 11 a.m. update from Calfire. Click here to watch social media coverage of the fire. So far, there are no reported injuries, nor have any structures been burned. The original story string is below. —– UPDATE: 10:40 a.m. FRIDAY The fire is now at 25 percent containment, according to an update moments ago from the U.S. Forest Service. According to the Washoe County School District, Incline Middle School (which is being set up as an evacuation center if needed) parents are being told that school is proceeding normally, classes remain in session, lunches are being prepared and school is going on as normal. “If evacuees do come, they will be kept in the gym, separate from students,” WCSD spokeswoman Vickie Campbell said Friday. Click here to watch social media coverage of the fire.

Update on #EmeraldFire Highway 89 closure, Fall Leaf Lake Road to Emerald Bay. See map. pic.twitter.com/F8GcSOIjCR

— Caltrans District 3 (@CaltransDist3) October 14, 2016

The original story string is below. —— UPDATE: 10:15 a.m. FRIDAY SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — The Emerald Fire has now burned 250 acres of land at Emerald Bay and Cascade Lake, according to the U.S. Forest Service. It is still at 0 percent containment. So far, there are no reported injuries, nor have any structures been burned.

Peak wind gusts so far today. Live updates from @TMFPD @WashoeSherriff @NWSReno #littlevalleyfire#EmeraldFire #rollinghillsfire pic.twitter.com/CTgRrfsNpV

— NWS Reno (@NWSReno) October 14, 2016

According the forest service, “Very strong winds ahead of the incoming storm system have been fanning the fire in different directions resulting in dangerous rates of spread.” Click here to watch social media coverage of the fire. The original story string is below. —– UPDATE: 9:45 a.m. Friday: INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Incline Middle School is being used as an evacuation center for residents displaced by the Emerald Fire which is burning in South Lake Tahoe. Vickie Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Washoe County School District, told the Sun-Bonanza Friday morning that IMS (located at 931 Southwood Blvd.) is being offered as an additional support system to ensure those evacuated have places to go. “School is still in session (at IMS),” Campbell said at about 9:30 a.m. Friday. “We are simply offering support; part of the school will be sectioned off (for evacuations).” Currently no structures have been lost due to the Emerald Fire; 500 homes have reportedly been evacuated. The original story string is below. —– SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. —According to Brice Bennett, Public Information Officer with  CAL FIRE Amador El Dorado Unit, a wildfire was reported at 1:33 a.m. Friday. The blaze — now known as the Emerald Fire — at last report at about 5 a.m. had burnded 200 acres. According to an 8:30 a.m. update from the Lake Valley Fire Protection District on Facebook: “Very strong winds are fanning the fire in different directions resulting in dangerous rates of spread.” “Unified command has been established with the USFS, Lake Valley Fire, and CAL FIRE,” a press release said earlier Friday. “Fire is burning in the Cascade Lake/ Emerald Bay region of South Lake Tahoe. Very strong winds ahead of the incoming storm system are fanning the fire in different directions resulting in dangerous rates of spread. Currently beginning to rain over the fire.”

Emerald Fire – Fire is burning in the Cascade Lake/Emerald Bay region in South Lake Tahoe. A unified command has… https://t.co/xxggfx7SdY

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— Lake Valley Fire (@lakevalleyfire) October 14, 2016

Evacuations are mandatory for Spring Creek, Cathedral, West shore of Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Properties, Cascade Lake. Those evacuated should go to South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center for shelter. Road Closures include Highway 89 from Camp Richardson to Meeks Bay.

#EmeraldFire [update] All evacuations remain in place except for areas North of Bayview Trailhead. https://t.co/LEy2yUz4NJ pic.twitter.com/qsxmlMG6Da

— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) October 14, 2016

As of early Friday morning, 20 engines, two bulldozers and two water tenders were assigned to help battle the blaze. Seven fire crews are fighting the wildfire, according to CAL FIRE, including the North Tahoe  and Meeks Bay fire protection districts. CAL FIRE, USFS, Lake Valley, Meeks Bay Fire, South Lake Tahoe Fire, El Dorado Sheriffs, SLT PD, CHP, State Parks, CALTrans, Fallen Leaf Lake Fire, North Tahoe Fire, Liberty Utilities are cooperating agencies.

Further, due to wildfires Friday morning in Washoe Valley — including the 750-acre Little Valley Fire, which is the strongest and most dangerous as of Friday morning — road closures are in effect. Highway 580 through Washoe Valley and Eastlake Boulevard are closed until further notice. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes. People in the area should be alert for possible evacuations.

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