Still much work ahead after Caldor fire fully contained

It took more than two months to defeat the monster, but as of last week, firefighters were finally able to bring the devastating Caldor Fire to 100-percent full containment. The Caldor Fire began Aug. 14 in El Dorado County and powered its way across three different counties to consume nearly 222,000 acres. After giving firefighters the ultimate test of skill and endurance and threatening to devastate Lake Tahoe, the fire was declared 100-percent contained on Oct 21. Just two days later, heavy precipitation moved into the area, aiding the effort further. However, fire officials explained that the management of the blaze and its damage is far from over. "Repair efforts set the immediate stage for our resources and community to recover from this devastating wildfire," said Jeff Knudson, incident commander. Knudsen explained to the media that firefighters will remain in the area to complete the repair of more than 400 miles of containment. At the time of full containment, those repairs were approximately 50-percent completed. Knudsen also pointed out that the blaze, while fully contained, is not extinguished or fully controlled. Items such as large diameter trees and stump holes will continue to smolder well into winter months, even under a blanket of snow, Three days after it initially began in desolate El Dorado County, the Caldor Fire muscled its way into the town of Grizzly Flats. Residents in the town with a population of approximately 1,200 were forced to flee from their homes as fast-moving flames, fueled by years of dry brush and forest lands quickly overtook the community. The Caldor Fire didn't stop after devastating most of Grizzly Flats as it raged its way toward the Lake Tahoe Basin. In the end, the blaze destroyed more than 1,000 structures and forced thousands to evacuate for several weeks, including some 50,000 residents in the Lake Tahoe region alone as the flames continued their erratic behavior, often changing directions or being fueled by gusty winds that sent fire crews running for safety on many occasions. During its stint, the blaze forced the closure of Highway 50 for several weeks as it inched into communities along the corridor such as Pollock Pines, Kyburz, Strawberry and Christmas Valley. In addition to leveling homes, the blaze damaged the El Dorado Irrigation flume that transports water from the mountains to lower reservoirs. It also caused much damage to facilities at Sierra at Tahoe Ski Resort where crews are working to make needed repairs as the busy ski season now arrives. As weather conditions began to cool and improve entering September, firefighters began to gain the upper hand on the blaze, tilting the scales where daily containment eventually outweighed fire progress. The Caldor Fire will be controlled when fire managers are confident that the fire is not likely to get outside the containment line. Fire officials say fires can linger under control until winter rains or snow arrive to bury smoldering logs, embers or ash. Historically, fires of such caliber have re-emerged from under blankets of snow later in the season. An example of this is the Alaska Swan Lake Fire, which burned in 2019, yet was still smoldering when spring arrived the following year. "For example, although the fire is contained, large diameter trees and stump holes will continue to smolder well into the winter months," Forest Service officials wrote in their final incident update after announcing containment. Two civilians were injured in the Caldor Fire. No fatalities were reported on site; a Galt police officer was killed in a traffic collision enroute to serve on the fire lines. One person is still reported missing in Grizzly Flats. The Caldor Fire is the 15th-largest and 16th-most destructive wildfire in California's recorded history, according to CAL FIRE. The investigation into the fire's cause remains ongoing.