Markleeville, CA…The Tamarack fire is estimated to be 500 acres burning near the town of Markleeville. Firefighters are on scene and actively engaged in suppression operations. Two helicopters, Very Large Air Tanker, Single Engine Air tankers and Air Attack are on scene. Fire is burning in timber and brush. Fire is active on flanks and exhibiting high rates of spread. Ground and air resources have been working together to establish an anchor point to begin containment lines around the flank, or sides, of the fire. Currently, air tankers are using retardant to coat the vegetation to try to inhibit the fire’s spread. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered for this incident.

Evacuations are in place for Markleeville, Grover’s Hot Springs Park and Campground, Shay Creek, Markleeville Village and  East Fork Resort. Residents can sign up for evacuation notifications at https://alpinecountyca.gov/204/Sheriff. Evacuees can report to Alpine County School in Paynesville.  The public is advised to avoid the area. Visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7674/ for continued updates.

The fire’s location, hazards to firefighters, conditions on the ground, past fire history, resource availability and weather forecasts are some of the factors taken into account when selecting a management strategy for any wildfire. The safety of our firefighters and the public is always our number one priority.

Source = USFS