South Lake Tahoe faces major risks
The conditions on Sunday night were severe, but they could get worse tomorrow. Red flag warnings have been issued across the Sierras, with winds of up to 35 mph (56 km/h) and single-digit humidity. This is about as severe as fire conditions can be. That's why South Lake Tahoe officials evacuated the area. The fires have destroyed 18,347 structures.
It was the second ever fire to reach the Sierra Nevada's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, in the Tahoe basin, at around 2:30 AM local time. This previously unprecedented fire behavior was repeated twice this year, when the Dixie Fire, California's largest single-fire, also did it.
California and other western states are now facing increasingly severe wildfire weather. The climate crisis, decades-old fire suppression and infrastructure that is prone to starting fires have all made forests more vulnerable to wildfires.
The sight of a fire raging in the Tahoe basin raises questions about the safety of mountain communities. It also shows how difficult it is to protect those who live there.
