Dan Thrift/Tahoe Daily Tribune Fire fighting personell from South lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake, Lake Valley and the U.S. Forest Service responed to an approximately 50 by 50 foot fire near Camp Shelly Concord on Tuesday afternoon.
A wildfire Tuesday evening burned a quarter acre of forest off Emerald Bay Road and forced more than 100 people to evacuate to the far side of a summer camp.
Staff members at Camp Concord, located between Fallen Leaf Lake and Emerald Bay Road, reported the fire after spotting smoke at 5:25 p.m. at the edge of camp property.
Firefighters were able to knock it down within minutes because there was no wind, according to Lake Valley Fire Protection District. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Camp director Johnny Mclaughlin said he doesn't think any of the children at his camp started it.
"The fire inspector asked that question," Mclaughlin said. "We never send any traffic through that area and kids are not allowed to run through camp. There's no walking through camp without a counselor."
Mclaughlin said three or four of his staff members helped fight the fire by creating a circle around it with fire extinguishers while they waited for firefighters to arrive.
"My staff are trained to respond to emergencies and they all got five stars for how quickly they took care of the situation," Mclaughlin said. "At no time were any campers in any danger whatsoever."
