TRUCKEE, Calif. — The King Fire burning west of Lake Tahoe is up to 95,347 acres and is 43 percent contained as of Thursday morning, according to Calfire.
Six people have been injured, 69 structures ( 12 residences, 57 others) have been destroyed and roughly 21,000 structures (12,000 residences) remain threatened, according to Calfire. There are more than 8,000 personnel now helping fight the arson-caused fire.
Evacuations remain in effect for several hundred people living in and around the Pollock Pines area.
No evacuations are in effect for the greater Truckee-Tahoe area; officials here continue to stress there is no immediate danger.
The National Weather Service says a band of rain moving through northern California is approaching the King Fire. Some light rain and higher humidity will decrease fire activity, meaning much less smoke (if any) will pass east of the Sierra Crest today.
The Tahoe National Forest, working with the California Interagency Incident Management Team 5 and local partners, this week established a call center at the Truckee Ranger District Office.
The purpose of the center is to “provide residents of Truckee and Lake Tahoe Basin with clear and accurate information on the King Fire,” officials said in a news release.
The Truckee Call Center phone number is: 530-587-9096.
“Since the King Fire started, we’ve seen false rumors and misinformation spread in the community and having deleterious effects,” said Joanne Roubique, Truckee District Ranger. “This call center will help us better meet the needs of the Truckee and North Lake Tahoe communities.”
The Truckee Call Center will operate every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., until information needs change.
Still, officials are urging residents to be aware and have an evacuation plan ready should a worst-case scenario present itself.
Residents can visit the “Ready, Set, Go” tabs at wildlandfirersg.org to learn more about proper planning for an evacuation.
Meanwhile, all Tahoe Truckee Unified School District campuses are open Thursday. Officials will continue to monitor air quality and will cancel outdoor activities and school if levels are too unhealthy.
Click here to view real-time air quality readings from the Placer County Air Pollution Control District.
The number 530-647-5218 has been set up as a King Fire information line; further, you can follow latest evacuation and other updates at the following Facebook page: facebook.com/KINGFIREPIO.
Fire information is also available online from the U.S. Forest Service.