Races, events cancelled as @the Grounds becomes CAL FIRE Base Camp

@the Grounds in Roseville is serving as a CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire) Base Camp for fire crews battling a fast-moving wildfire near the Auburn State Recreation Area about 30 miles away. The Mosquito Fire started Tuesday afternoon and burned more than 1,200 acres as of 1 p.m. Wednesday, prompting evacuation orders and warnings to residents in Placer and El Dorado counties, according to CAL FIRE. CAL FIRE established the Base Camp on Wednesday morning. The Base Camp will likely operate @the Grounds for a couple of weeks, said interim Chief Executive Officer Kim Summers of @the Grounds and Placer Valley Tourism. As of Wednesday morning, the Mosquito Fire burned more than 6,800 acres and was zero percent contained. @the Grounds officials are notifying and rescheduling several upcoming events planned at the campus, including a race at the All American Speedway. It's the latest emergency effort for @the Grounds, which served as a COVID testing site and COVID vaccination center for Placer County residents. CAL Fire will use the entire @the Grounds campus, with the Roebbelen Center serving as a rest area for firefighters. The 160,000-square-foot building can accommodate several thousand people. Johnson Hall has become a command center and a mess hall has been set up in Jones Hall. The Attaway Pavilion will serve as a debriefing area for firefighters. The CAL FIRE Base Camp "just reinforces how important @the Grounds and the Roebbelen Center are to the community," Summers said. "In a crisis, we are here to provide whatever is needed by the community and its residents."