Caldor Fire 100% contained; upcoming storm may cause flooding, landslides in Caldor burn area, officials warn

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — The Caldor Fire is 100% contained, El Dorado Forest Service officials said Thursday, more than two months after the fire started.
“Containment does not mean the fire is controlled,” Forest Service officials wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. “Containment, control and out are three distinct phases. For example, although the fire is contained, large diameter trees and stump holes will continue to smolder well into the winter months. Containment, in its simplest form, is a measure of line around the fire.”
A series of storms headed to the Sierra could cause flooding and landslides in the Caldor Fire burn scar, El Dorado County officials said in a Wednesday press release.
The National Weather Service is forecasting a series of storms from Friday through early next week, with the highest level of precipitation expected Sunday night into Monday morning.
The conditions could trigger debris flow events throughout the Caldor Fire burn scar with particular impact in Strawberry, Phillips Tract and parts of Grizzly Flats, the press release states.
“The upcoming weather event could result in flooding, causing currently unstable trees and other vegetation to fall onto roadways, create landslides, and impact our watersheds,” said Brendan Ferry, deputy director of the county’s Tahoe Planning and Stormwater Division. “Ash from the Caldor Fire and soil movement will undoubtedly occur and we are asking that all residents and travelers in these areas and along U.S. Highway 50 be on high alert for these hazards and take appropriate precautions to mitigate the storm’s impact.”
Size: 221,835 acres
Percent contained: 100%
Start date: Aug. 14
Cause: Under investigation
Officials said those in homes or vehicles near steep slopes, canyons, gorges and the mouths of mountain streams are at greatest risk of potential hazards.
An oncoming debris flow may include the sound of rushing water, changes in water from clear to muddy, or the sound of large rocks crashing into each other and typically occur within 15 minutes of a heavy rainfall.
To be alerted to critical emergency information, sign up for El Dorado County’s Code Red system by visiting http://ready.edso.org.
To report a road hazard, contact the department of transportation at 530-642-4909 or road.maintenance@edcgov.us.
The Tahoe Daily Tribune is a sister publication of the Sierra Sun
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