SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Management of the Tamarack Fire has switched hands as the blaze that forced thousands from their homes and burned dozens of structures is now mostly contained.

The Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Management Team that took control of the fire in mid July handed over control on Monday night to the Sierra Front Type 3 Team.

The lightning-caused fire that started on July Fourth is 82% contained and has burned 68,696 acres. The uncontained part of the blaze is along its southeast edge where it is confined by natural barriers and limited fuels, fire officials said.

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Fire crews continue to patrol and mop up containment lines by extinguishing residual fire near the perimeter to make sure it doesn’t spread outside of the established containment line.

Officials said a Burned Area Emergency Response team has started on-the-ground assessment, validating information from satellites. The interagency team starts by looking for opportunities to protect soils and watersheds. Additional specialists will join them to support assessment of recreation, vegetation, archaeological, and geological resources.

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The weather forecast is not favorable to fighting fires. The National Weather Service in Reno on Tuesday issued a fire weather watch for the region due to gusty winds and low humidity.

For closures and fire restrictions on National Forest lands visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/htnf/alerts-notices.

The Tahoe Daily Tribune is a sister publication to the Sierra Sun.