Caldor Fire slows down a bit, but evacuation warnings remain in effect for Foothill

With the Caldor Fire continuing to burn a few miles southwest of the Douglas County line, Foothill residents are waiting to learn if they’re going to be evacuated.

Fire officials said the fire has calmed down a bit on Thursday morning, with a few spot fires extinguished as they try to keep it out of the neighborhoods.

Even the fire model at pyrecast.org is showing the fire slowing down as it scales Monument Peak near the Nevada state line, with it not predicted to cross into the Silver State until Saturday afternoon at around 2 p.m.

The site, which has been shared extensively on social media contains the caveat that it is an experimental tool and very much a work in progress.

Should the fire cross the Douglas County line, Foothill residents should expect an alert to evacuate.

Portions of Douglas County at Lake Tahoe are under a mandatory evacuation issued on Tuesday. Areas of the Lake at Round Hill and further north are not under the mandatory order, Sheriff Dan Coverley said on Wednesday.

The fire hit 210,259 acres as of Thursday morning and is 25 percent contained.

Douglas County issued advice for those who may be subject to evacuations on Wednesday afternoon.

• Stay calm and be ready. Make sure your go-kit is ready and in your car or next to your home’s exit. Staying calm and being proactive is the best thing you can do. While you await alerts, make sure your household, family members and neighbors understand what to do if you need to quickly evacuate.

• Keep devices on and pay attention for emergency alerts. In the event of a mandatory evacuation, officials will send loud alert warnings via wireless emergency alerts (on your mobile phone) and emergency alerts (on cable television and local radio stations). Keep your phone on, charged, and nearby.

• Register for reverse 911. Sign up for Reverse 911 updates from Douglas County.

• Listen for a knock at the door. Should evacuation warnings escalate to mandatory evacuations, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, along with Search and Rescue will be coming door to door to make notifications or you will receive an emergency notification on your phone. Patrol units are actively in the areas of the mandatory and warning zones ensuring the safety of vacant neighborhoods and remaining ready to assist areas currently in the warning zones.

• Stay aware of your surroundings. Fire behavior can change, and residents are encouraged to remain vigilant, have a plan and be aware of their surroundings.

As a reminder, an evacuation warning means there is a high probability of a near future need to evacuate. This is the time to pack necessary items, prepare family, animals, and vehicles for departure. Anyone with mobility or medical issues should begin evacuating during this time. An evacuation order is a lawful order to leave by a specified period of time, using pre-designated routes. This is the time to take your family, pets, and necessary items including medications and important papers and evacuate now.

View the Douglas County website or Facebook page for current evacuation warnings and orders.