Fire closes Highway 50 west of South Lake Tahoe

An East Fork Fire District paramedic engine company is on its way to the Kyburz Fire which has closed Highway 50 west of Echo Summit.

Evacuations are being conducted in Kyburz and Strawberry for a 60-acre fire burning on both sides of Highway 50.

The highway is closed between Sly Park Road and Meyers. Structures are reportedly threatened.

Engine 14 under the direction of Capt. Jamie Buck is part of a Lake Tahoe Regional Fire Chief’s Association strike team.

Other agencies on the strike team include Tahoe Douglas Fire, Squaw Valley Fire, North Tahoe Fire and Northstar Fire.

“East Fork routinely sends resources to assist our neighbors as we have had great experience with them coming to help us in our times our need,” East Fork Deputy Chief Dave Fogerson said. “East Fork maintains the same level of coverage within our community when we send resources out. We receive reimbursement from the incident for our costs, so local taxpayers are not footing the bill.”

The fire was reported at 1:58 p.m.