Tahoe fire crews form strike team on fire burning north of basin
LOYALTON, Calif. – A strike team is mobilizing out of the Lake Tahoe Basin on an over 12,000-acre fire that has burned across three counties north of Tahoe.
The Elephant Fire started Saturday afternoon, igniting near Hwy 49 northeast of Loyalton, Calif. and has burned areas of the Lassen, Plumas and Sierra counties.
Now at 5% containment, the fire quickly spread from first sighting to an estimated 2,000 acres in just over two hours on Saturday, prompting evacuation warnings.
Ridgetop winds, dry fuels and difficult terrain have made fighting the fire challenging.
Engines from North Tahoe Fire Protection District, Storey County Fire Protection District, Fallen Leaf Fire Department, and South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue have mobilized to form a strike team on the fire.
Fire crews are using the current overcast, rainy weather window to continue securing the fireline while working towards full containment.
The U.S. Forest Service and partnering agencies have over 500 personnel on scene.
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