40-Acre Placer County Wildfire Burning in Tahoe National Forest

A fire in Tahoe National Forest has burned an estimated 40 acres since it started on Saturday afternoon.

Smoke from the blaze, named the American Fire, was visible from Interstate 80 on Sunday, according to the CAL Fire Public Information Officer Daniel Berlant, who tweeted a photo of the blaze.

The fire is roughly 17 miles northwest of Foresthill and has crossed the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River, according to an InciWeb post about the fire that Berlant linked to. The blaze is burning toward the Last Chance area.

The post said access to the fire, burning in a heavily forested area of “very steep terrain on the Deadwood Ridge,” is limited and “firefighter safety is a concern due to difficult terrain.”

Smokejumpers are being used and multiple forest service and Cal Fire engines, dozers, air tankers and helicopters are at the scene.