American Fire Grows, Along With Containment

Wednesday coverage: American Fire Continues to Grow, Smoky Conditions Persist

Latest U.S. Forest Service Incident Report

Updated: 11:20 p.m. - Forest Service orders closure of lands adjacent to fire

The American fire is burning in heavy fuels, on very steep slopes. Access to the fire area is limited.

The heavy fuels are creating large amounts of smoke. Smoke is a significant issue for the Sierra Foothills, Tahoe area, and Sacramento Valley. An air quality warning has been issued for Placer county. Those planning to visit area campgrounds and other recreation sites may experience intermittent heavy smoke. Smoky conditions may last for several days.

Fire officials are establishing an incident base known as a spike camp in the Greek Store area off of Mosquito Ridge Road to enable easier access to the southeast end of the fire.

A 10,000 gallon water tank and a 10,000 gallon mobile retardant plant to aid with helicopter suppression operations has been established at the Blue Canyon Airport just south of Interstate 80.

The fire is located about 10 miles northeast of Foresthill in the Tahoe National Forest. The fire has burned across the North Fork Middle Fork American River and is burning both up and down the river drainage. The potential for fire growth is high due to the heavy fuels, steep slopes (up to 150 percent), predicted temperatures, and low humidities. One mining structure was destroyed and there have been two minor injuries todate.

The community of Foresthill is not threatened.

A map and description of the closed area can be obtained at Tahoe National Forest offices as well as online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe

Updated: 2:40 p.m. - Fire 35 percent contained, incident base set-up

The heavy fuels are creating large amounts of smoke. Smoke is a significant issue for the Sierra Foothills, Tahoe area, and Sacramento Valley. An air quality warning has been issued for Placer county. Those planning to visit area campgrounds and other recreation sites may experience intermittent heavy smoke. Smoky conditions may last for several days.

Fire officials are establishing an incident base known as a spike camp in the Greek Store area off of Mosquito Ridge Road to enable easier access to the southeast end of the fire.

The fire is located about 10 miles northeast of Foresthill in the Tahoe National Forest. The fire has burned across the North Fork Middle Fork American River and is burning both up and down the river drainage. The potential for fire growth is high due to the heavy fuels, steep slopes (up to 150 percent), predicted temperatures, and low humidities.

The community of Foresthill is not being threatened at this time.

Fire Perimeter, Aug. 15

Basic Information