Caldor Fire Approaches Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Strong winds are pushing the Caldor Fire near South Lake Tahoe into different neighborhoods and towards valuable structures. One major destination currently sitting in the path of the fire is Kirkwood Mountain Resort, which could see a significant firefight tonight.
Mapping shows the fire moving towards the popular South Lake Tahoe ski resort, with reports out of the mountain saying officials have positioned firefighters and equipment to fight the flames when they arrive. Part of that equipment is snowmaking machines, which proved crucial in the defense of Sierra-at-Tahoe on Sunday night.
Video posted to Twitter shows the fire just around the hill from Kirkwood, a startling visual considering the windy forecast:
#kirkwood#caldor #caldorfire
— eric (@Tajmontevista33) August 31, 2021
8-31-21 3:55pm pic.twitter.com/R3Z2JP3tum
Fire officials are doing everything they can to keep the flames away from the resort, including plenty of air drops:
Tanker dropping on Kirkwood/Thunder Mountain now #caldorfire #kirkwood pic.twitter.com/a7CuB2mZW3
— Rob Webb (@rwebb) August 31, 2021
The arrival of the Caldor Fire to Kirkwood has been assumed for days now, with video of firefighters even taking the resort chair lift to the top of the mountain to fight the fire:
The question remains whether firefighters can perform a miracle to prevent significant loss at Kirkwood, much like they did at nearby Sierra-at-Tahoe. With ferocious winds in their face, firefighters were able to save the lodge and chairlifts of Sierra-at-Tahoe as the fire moved through. It was an unprecedented situation for local firefighters and a challenge they took in stride.
Meanwhile, the Caldor Fire continues to move south of Meyers, currently with no structure loss in the area. In its current direction, the fire is heading towards Heavenly Mountain Resort, which is owned by the same company that owns Kirkwood – Vail Resorts. If the fire makes it that far east, it could be a dangerous and costly firefight in South Lake Tahoe.
