Tahoe wildfire surges

By AMANDA FEHD - Associated Press
Wednesday, June 27, 2007 11:12 AM PDT

The Angora Fire burns above South Lake Tahoe High School in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., early Monday.

MEYERS, Calif. — Strong winds that stoked a turbulent wildfire near Lake Tahoe worried firefighters Wednesday, a day after a flare-up forced thousands of residents to flee.

Fire officials believed they had a handle on the eastern edge of the blaze, which has destroyed nearly 200 homes at the south end of the scenic alpine lake. But a large gust Tuesday afternoon pushed firefighters off the line they had been holding for more than a day.

The surge briefly trapped two firefighters and forced the evacuation of a 300-home subdivision.

With winds forecast to reach 30 mph again Wednesday, officials warned that more homes, including some in the most affluent waterfront neighborhoods, could be threatened. Inmate crews deployed to clear brush along state Route 89 in case flames jumped the fireline again.

‘‘Tomorrow’s the test,’’ U.S. Forest Service spokesman Tom Efird said late Tuesday. ‘‘Hopefully there will be no more tests.’’

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The flare-up occurred in an area where firefighters had set a backfire to keep the main blaze from reaching more houses. The gust blew embers across the fireline and started new spot fires, said Rich Hawkins, a Forest Service fire commander.

The blaze moved so quickly that two firefighters were forced to deploy the emergency shelters firefighters carry to protect themselves as a last resort.

They managed to walk away uninjured, Hawkins said.

About 2,000 people evacuated, according to South Lake Tahoe Police Lt. Martin Hale.

Earlier in the day, authorities said the danger to homes had diminished as dying winds gave firefighters a badly needed leg up on the inferno, which started Sunday. But by Tuesday evening, the blaze had consumed more than 3,000 acres — about 4.69 square miles — and was about 44 percent contained, fire officials said.

Containment was not expected before Tuesday, Hawkins said.

Investigators have isolated the fire’s point of origin, near the popular Seneca Pond recreation area, and are close to identifying its cause, Forest Service spokeswoman Beth Brady said.

Authorities have said they believe the fire was caused by human activity, but there was no indication it was set intentionally.

The forest is so dry that a discarded cigarette butt or match could easily have ignited the fire, Brady said.

The area was also dotted with the remnants of illegal campfires, she said.

Many homeowners got their first look at the wildfire’s destruction Tuesday, finding some houses reduced to charred ruins and others largely unscathed, except for the odor of smoke and a blanket of ash.

Concerned about looting, dozens of sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers roamed the burned neighborhoods, ensuring that only those who lived in the area were allowed in.

Drivers who lined up to pass through a checkpoint had their car windows marked to designate the number of the home they were allowed to visit.

Beyond the checkpoint, neatly manicured driveways led to metal garage doors still standing amid the skeletons of burned-out homes.

‘‘I didn’t save hardly anything in the house,’’ said retired firefighter John Hartzell, who lost his home of 20 years.

Along with his wife, adult son and daughter, he sorted through the rubble in search of any mementos.

‘‘I got out with the clothes on my back, my fire coat and my helmet,’’ he said.

Elsewhere, a beautiful home stood nearly untouched, even though all the sod in its yard had burned.

‘‘It picks and chooses,’’ said Lynn Cisl, whose home along the edge of the most damaged area also survived. ‘‘It’s sort of like a disease. It’s devastating.’’