Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts near the Caldor Fire in Northern California are helping firefighter crews hold off the flames.
Heavenly Ski Resort and Sierra-at-Tahoe Ski Resort are using their snow-making systems to protect the resorts and surrounding areas.
Meteorologist Taylor Ward said that the snow blowers are used because they shoot water into the air.
Anything that gets moisture in the air is good. Essentially, in the winter they shoot water into the air and it condensates turning into snow.
In this case, it was just to attempt to get things wet.
Heavenly is helping firefighters in other ways. Cal Fire has set up a base at the resort that will keep firefighters closer to the fire.
Cal Fire plans to direct the Caldor Fire into areas around Heavenly while crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountain line where they have fuel modifications already in place .
Spotting continues to be a problem.
They have been a problem since the very first day of this incident, and that’s what is causing this fire to grow exponentially.
In the last 24 hours, the Caldor Fire has grown to 210,259 acres and is 25% contained, Cal Fire said in an update.
He noted there was reduced activity overnight due to calmer winds in the area.
According to Cal Fire the wildfire has destroyed at least 622 homes and has threatened 32,387 structures so far.
