Emerald Fire: 200-Acre Blaze in South Lake Tahoe Forces Evacuations

EL DORADO COUNTY, CA — A 200-acre fire burning in the Tahoe Basin near Fallen Leaf Lake and Cascade Lake Trail is 25 percent contained, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.

Evacuations have been issued for at least 1,000 homes, with half of those being mandatory. Residents being evacuated are asked to travel north on Highway 89 toward Tahoe City. The sheriff's office later said voluntary evacuations have been lifted on Highway 89 North from Bayview Trailhead to Tahoma.

An evacuation center has been established at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center located at 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd. A second evacuation center also is open at the Rideout Community Center located at 740 Timberland Lane in Tahoe City, deputies said.

Highway 89 is closed from the Placer County / El Dorado County Line in Tahoma to the Y in the City of South Lake Tahoe.

Below is a list of mandatory evacuated roads via the sheriff's office:

Hwy 89 North closed from Fallen Leaf Road to Bayview Trailhead
Cathedral Road
Baldwin Beach Road
Mt Tallac Road
Spring Creek Road
Alliklik Road
Cahuilla Road
Hupa Road
Karok Road
Mattole Road
Maidu Road
Nicoleno Road
Nicolena Court
Pomo Road
Pomo Court
Wiyot Road
Yurok Road
Cascade Road
Sugar Pine Road
Cascade Lake Road
Upper Eagle Point Campground
Lower Eagle Point Campground

Patch will update this breaking news story.

--Image via CAL FIRE AEU