FORESTHILL, Calif. (KTXL) — The Mosquito Fire has now burned 14,250 acres, and it remains at 0% containment.
It blew up overnight, which is something firefighters are working hard to try and prevent from happening again.
Dark, thick, black and orange flames steadily burned up a hillside along Mosquito Ridge Road, as the Mosquito Fire exploded, destroying acres by the thousands.
"The fire's burning pretty actively, pretty fiercely on the Georgetown divide,” Dave Whitt, chief of Pioneer Fire Protection District, said.
The heavy billowing smoke rolled in and above the canyon, during the hottest part of the day is a big concern for Whitt as the fire has crossed into El Dorado County.
He said it's the trifecta effect — high temps, low humidity, mixed with a little wind.
"The fire's kind of gone into those canyons and really started to drift pretty hard and heavy to the east,” Whitt said.
Helicopters around the clock attacked the flames in those canyons, dropping water and fire retardant. Meanwhile, a hot shot hand crew used buzz saws to chop down tree limbs and thick brush to create a fire break next to the road.
"Tonight, we should have a little bit of a cooler wind. But it's going to be a more stronger wind, coming from the east is what's anticipated,” Whitt said. "Firefighters doing a really good job, trying to keep it from going that direction.”
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/NriX19k
