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Mosquito Fire 34% contained; Showers, snow – no smoke – in forecast through Wednesday

Staff Report
An air tanker drops retardant over the fire near Foresthill on Sept. 8, two days after the Mosquito Fire started.
Provided/Robert Foxworthy/Cal Fire

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Colder temperatures, good humidity recovery, and precipitation arrived overnight helping firefighters make substantial progress with containment on the Mosquito Fire.

Air quality is good around Lake Tahoe on Sunday and, after having some smoke issues earlier in the morning, conditions are improving in Truckee where fire.airnow.gov sensors are in the moderate-to-unhealthy range.

Containment on the Mosquito Fire has reached 34%, up from 21% on Saturday, Cal Fire officials reported Sunday morning.



The fire, burning near Oxbow Reservoir, east of Foresthill in El Dorado and Placer counties, has blackened 74,748 acres, destroyed 78 structures, damaged 13 others and is threatening another 9,236. More than 11,000 have been evacuated due to the blaze and the cause remains under investigation.

The National Weather Service in Reno is expecting rain late Sunday morning and no smoke, or haze is in the Truckee-Tahoe forecast.



“Smoke impacts from the Mosquito Fire today are anticipated to be similar to what was experienced Saturday with the densest smoke directed into the Sierra Valley-Portola areas, arching east across Pyramid Lake and into west central Nevada overnight into Monday morning,” the service said on Sunday in a special statement. “Some haze may continue into Monday, but it depends on fire activity as rain is anticipated on the fire tonight into Monday morning.”

The service is expecting showers and high elevation snow through Wednesday. High temperatures are expected to be in the upper 50s to low 60s.

The chance of precipitation on Sunday is 20% growing to 60% on Monday and 70% on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thursday is forecast to be sunny and clear with a high near 70.


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