Tahoe’s Homewood resort to reopen today after fire destroys South Lodge
Courtesy North Tahoe Fire Protection District
“Guests can access the upper mountain via Madden Chair, which is located at our North Lodge,” according to the statement issued after 5:30 p.m. “Regarding our guest services, ski school, rental shop, retail store and food & beverage venues at our North Lodge, these facilities will be open to the general public from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. West Shore Café, located across the street from our North Lodge, will be open for lunch and dinner from 11:30am – 9pm.”
No other updates about the fire or its cause were available as of Wednesday evening, as the investigation continues.
The original story strings are below:
UPDATE: 10 a.m. Wednesday:
According to a news release emailed at 9:53 a.m. from North Tahoe Fire, crews are foaming the building in an effort to contain flare-ups; further, operations are in overhaul stage, one of the final stages of fire suppression.“We’ve progressively fought fire for the last few hours,” NTFPD Battalion Chief Steve McNamara said in a statement. “It’s been a difficult building due to the size and volume and loading inside of structure.”
As previously reported, no one was hurt in the fire, and no one was on site at the time of the incident. Its cause is under investigation; until the probe is complete, no further information on the cause will be released, according to North Tahoe Fire. In all, Meeks Bay Fire, North Lake Tahoe Fire, Truckee Fire, Squaw Valley Fire, South Lake Tahoe, Lake Valley Fire, and the Placer County Sheriff Office assisted in fighting the fire and clean-up.
UPDATE: 9:10 a.m. Wednesday: Homewood Mountain Resort issued a press release at 9:04 a.m. Wednesday, by way of JVP Communications, about the incident. “Homewood will be closed today due to the fire and efforts that are still underway by the North Tahoe Fire Protection District,” General Manager Kevin Mitchell said in the release. “On behalf of our team, I would like to thank North Tahoe Fire and the other coordinating agencies that responded so quickly to the call. We apologize for the inconvenience to our guests, and are working hard to resume operations as quickly as possible.” The South Lodge was primarily used as restaurant and administration offices. Other buildings and facilities at the resort, including the North Lodge, were not damaged in the blaze. According to the resort, updates related to resort operations will be posted on Homewood’s website at http://www.skihomewood.com, or you may contact Guest Services at 530-525-2992.
UPDATE: 8:20 a.m. Wednesday: Missy Frey, Marketing Director at Homewood Mountain Resort, said the ski area will be closed Wednesday, but the plan is to reopen the mountain for skiing on Thursday. “That’s the plan,” she told the Sierra Sun, adding that no one was on site at the time of the fire. Earlier reports indicated the West Shore ski area would be shut down until further notice. Frey said the resort is working on issuing a press release Wednesday morning about the incident to provide further details.
ORIGINAL STORY: 7:25 a.m. Wednesday: HOMEWOOD, Calif. — Homewood Mountain Resort on Tahoe’s West Shore will remain closed until further notice following a structure fire that sparked during the early morning hours Wednesday at the ski resort. “The mountain will be on hold until further notice due to fire at the South Lodge,” according to a statement from Homewood General Manager Kevin Mitchell. “… We apologize for the inconvenience, but our team is working hard to get our operations up as soon as possible. (North Tahoe Fire Department) is advising to stay clear of the South Lodge.” According to a Facebook post from the North Tahoe Fire Protection District, crews responded at 3:02 a.m. to a “heavily involved structure fire” at Homewood’s South Lodge. Further resources were ordered from North Lake Tahoe and Truckee Fire protection districts and the Squaw Valley Fire Department, according to the post. “No injuries have been reported, and fire suppression efforts managed to keep the fire isolated to a single structure,” fire officials said. No one was on site at the time of the fire, Missy Frey, Marketing Director at Homewood Mountain Resort, told the Sierra Sun. The South Lodge houses resort administration offices, as well as the Southwest Grill and Fireplace Tavern dining areas. As of about 7 a.m. Wednesday, crews were still working to knock down the dire, and several resources and engines remained on scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. While Highway 89 is open, officials urge travelers to be cautious due to icy conditions this morning throughout the Truckee-Tahoe region. Tahoe Ski Bowl Way is closed as of Wednesday morning.
Support Local Journalism
Support Local Journalism
Readers around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.
Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.
Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.
