East side of Tamarack Fire fromTopaz Ranch Estates on July 21
Credit: Inciweb

July 21, 2021 - The Tamarack Fire on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest was discovered on July 4. At the time, 23 other lightning fires were burning.  It was a single tree burning in the Mokelumne Wilderness on a rocky ridgetop with sparse fuels and natural barriers to contain it. The steep, rugged, and remote terrain presented challenges to safely suppress this wilderness fire.  With several higher priority fires in the area and due to the remote location, the sparse fuels and natural barriers, and the concern for firefighter safety, the decision was made to monitor the Tamarack Fire. 

The Tamarack Fire was monitored daily via air and fire cameras and exhibited very little fire behavior until Friday, July 16 when fueled by extreme winds and low humidity, it progressed rapidly downslope and spread throughout the evening. With this rapid change in the fire, fire resources were dispatched on Friday, July 16. Additional firefighting resources were also ordered, including very Large Air Tankers (VLAT), Single Engine Airtankers (SEATS) and helicopters. 

The Type 2 Great Basin Incident Management Team #3 assumed command of the fire on Sunday, July 18 at 6 a.m.  The Rocky Mountain Type 1 Incident Management Team transitioned with the Great Basin Team and took command of the fire at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, July 20. Many Federal, State, and Local government agencies as well as organizations and businesses are cooperating to make progress on the fire.

Though this is a full suppression fire, because of the steep terrain, fuel types, and expected weather, The Tamarack Fire could be a long duration incident. Public and Firefighter safety is the number one priority. In addition, minimizing impacts to local communities, private property and structures, timber resources, highway corridors, and recreation improvements are included in the prioritization of these fires.  Our intent is to keep you fully informed on the fire’s activities and our suppression efforts as the incident progresses.

For the latest information on road closures, visit:   QuickMap (ca.gov) and https://roads.dot.ca.gov/

Evacuations: Alpine County Sheriff’s Office ordered mandatory evacuations for the Blue Lakes Road area and the Mesa Vista area. Markleeville, Grover Hot Springs and campground area, Shay Creek, Marklee Village, Alpine Village, Woodfords, East Fork Resort and the community of Hung A Lel Ti are under still under evacuation orders.

 Closures: Highway 89 is closed at the intersection of Highway 4 and 89.  Highway 88 is closed from the west junction of SR 89 (Alpine Co) to the Nevada State Line. Highway 4 is open west of the Highway 89 and Highway 4 junction. Please slow down and drive with caution in the area as fire crews continue to work.

 The Pacific Crest Trail is closed between Carson Pass (Highway 88) and Ebbetts Pass (Highway 4). Please find locations away from the fire area for your recreation opportunities

A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Details can be found at https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_1_1436.html
Source: Inciweb