A map of the Caldor Fire's progression that was issued on Tuesday morning.
The Caldor Fire is knocking on Lake Tahoe’s front door, according to the chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
On Monday, Cal Fire Chief Thom Porter said keeping the fire from crossing into the Lake Tahoe Basin is the No. 1 priority in the country.
As of Tuesday morning, the fire reached 117,704 acres and is 9 percent contained.
“Overall, the fire activity through the night was moderate,” fire officials said.
Fire mapping indicates the fire is burning within 10 miles of Echo Summit and 27 miles from Minden as the crow flies.
Moderate overnight humidity has allow firefighters to directly fight the fires in places while continuing to build lines to slow down the blaze.
Smoke in the Gardnerville Ranchos remained at levels deemed unhealthy for those sensitive to air quality on Tuesday morning.
As of 11 a.m., the air quality at Ranchos Aspen Park was 126 and had leveled off some.
The low-cost monitors in Minden and Genoa were at unhealthy levels at 11 a.m., but down from hazardous levels from earlier today.
Visibility at Minden-Tahoe Airport reached 5 miles at 11:15 a.m., up from 1.75 miles around 10 a.m.
West and southwest winds this afternoon are expected to bring more smoke into Carson Valley, with Minden among the locations expected to see the greatest smoke impacts, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.
“There is potential for some temporary improvements in air quality each late afternoon and early evening for some areas,” forecasters said in a statement. “However exactly where and for how long remains low confidence. Simulations are showing a shift in winds to a more northeast direction Thursday and Friday. This could lead to air quality improvements, but again confidence is low this far out.”
The Caldor Fire continues to burn near Highway 50 west of Echo Summit.
