Highway 50 reopened; Highway 89 remains closed

Some residents evacuated from the Tallac Village area of South Lake Tahoe may now return home after being evacuated Tuesday afternoon, a federal official announced this evening.

Fire crews were gaining the upper hand on the blaze as winds died down after gusty winds whipped a back-fire out of control Tuesday. Two firefighters were forced to seek refuge in emergency shelters as the wildfire headed toward the upscale residential neighborhood of the Tahoe Keys. The firefighters were uninjured.

Fire officials said they were optimistic about containing the fire tonight, but "concerned" about Tuesday, when forecast gusty winds prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning.

By this evening, officials reopened Highway 50 to traffic, but kept Highway 89 closed. Earlier, authorities had stopped all traffic from entering South Lake Tahoe.

6:45 p.m. Update: Public information officer: At least one home burns following Gardner Mountain flare-up

At least one home had burned in the Gardner Mountain area as a result of this afternoon's flare-up, Chuck Dixon, public information officer assigned to the Angora Fire, told the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

The Northern Nevada Chapter of the American Red Cross has been asked to set up a shelter at Carson High School, 1111 N. Saliman Road, said Caroline Punches of the Red Cross.

Volunteers are on the way to the high school, the shelter should be up and running by 7 p.m.

Neither volunteers nor donations of clothing, food other items are needed at this time, however, monetary donations are needed. Donations are accepted at all Bank of America branches.

Two U.S. Forest service firefighters are uninjured after surviving being burned over this afternoon fighting the Angora fire, said Chuck Dickson, lead information officer with Management Team I, stationed at Heavenly Valley.

Dickson said the two firefighters deployed their emergency shelters, but were able to walk out after the fire burned over. The two where checked out at the hospital and are unhurt.

Two U.S. Forest service firefighters are uninjured after surviving being burned over this afternoon fighting the Angora fire, said Chuck Dickson, lead information officer with Management Team I, stationed at Heavenly Valley.

Dickson said the two firefighters deployed their emergency shelters, but were able to walk out after the fire burned over. The two where checked out at the hospital and are unhurt.

The two firefighters were part of a group working to protect the Tallac Village development in South Lake Tahoe when the wind picked up and sent the backfire swooping down on them, Dickson said.

The spot fire has erupted at the fire will amount to several hundred acres, Dickson said in a television interview.

He said today's turning point came when winds picked up this afternoon.

"I was looking at the weather forecast that called for light winds," he said. "Then an hour later the winds came up. It's tricky to predict those winds."

Dickson said the El Dorado Sheriff's department said the evacuation is going well. He said as many as 500 homes, 2,000 residents are affected by the most recent evacuations.

He said he is unsure if the reports of a structure fire near South Tahoe High School is related to the Angora fire or if it was a typical structure fire.

The two firefighters were part of a group working to protect the Tallac Village development in South Lake Tahoe when the wind picked up and sent the backfire swooping down on them, Dickson said.

The spot fire has erupted at the fire will amount to several hundred acres, Dickson said in a television interview.

He said today's turning point came when winds picked up this afternoon.

"I was looking at the weather forecast that called for light winds," he said. "Then an hour later the winds came up. It's tricky to predict those winds."

Dickson said the El Dorado Sheriff's department said the evacuation is going well. He said as many as 500 homes, 2,000 residents are affected by the most recent evacuations.

He said he is unsure if the reports of a structure fire near South Tahoe High School is related to the Angora fire or if it was a typical structure fire.

5:50 p.m. Update: Crews battle 200 acres fire

A flop over from the Angora fire ignited a 200-acre fire at the intersection of West Way and Highway 89 on Tuesday afternoon, bringing the total acreage of the Angora fire at roughly 3,000 acres.

Wind gusts caused the jump, said Barbara Rebiskie, a fire information officer. She said firefighters are "very comfortable" with handling the fire, which reportedly has not damaged any structures.

Evacuations were mandatory for Gardner Street, West Way, 15th Street, Lukins Way and Venice Avenue, according to Rebiskie. Residents in the area though, crowded streets to get to their homes to water roofs and cram belongings in vehicles.

Firefighters were concerned winds, projected to pick up significantly on Wednesday but not to the levels of Sunday's gusts, could fuel the fire, which has destroyed nearly 200 structures. Officials are still determining the damage count.

Firefighters dousing hotspots within the Angora fire or catching some sleep were diverted to the fire at West Way, Rebiskie said. Five strike teams were initially ordered to attack the fire as firefighters also were on structure-protection duty. Five fire engines, each containing about five firefighters, consist of a strike team. "They hammered it," Rebiskie said.

Small fires have been reported to authorities throughout the day, including a small blaze at Stateline behind MountBleu, along with people thinking there was a fire at Kingsbury Grade which turned out to be smoke from the fire at West Way.

Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons and First Lady Dawn Gibbons will attend "Together for Tahoe," a Red Cross fundraiser for Angora Fire victims in Reno at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

"Tomorrow's fundraiser will provide clothes, food, and funding for the families affected by the devastating fire," said Gov. Gibbons. " I encourage all Nevadans to stop by and lend their support."

The Red Cross suggests contributing clothes, canned goods, or cash or a check payable to the American Red Cross.

The fundraiser will be held at the Atlantis Casino Resort, 3800 S. Virginia St., Reno, in the west parking lot located on the corner of Peckham and Virginia.