California — It’s officially wildfire season in the Golden State.
Numerous wildfires are wreaking havoc across the state and are nearing various nearby ski resorts. In Southern California, the Vista Fire is close to Mt. Baldy Resort, but crews have been able to keep the flames away so far. In Northern California, a wildfire could impact a few ski resorts near Lake Tahoe.
The Royal Fire began on Sunday. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office was originally looking for unaccounted-for hikers, but all were found safely. Until later on Tuesday, the fire was completely uncontained, albeit with minimal growth on Monday and Tuesday. According to SFGate, the concern is that due to the Tahoe National Forest having 6.5 million dead trees, there’s fear of the continued growth of this fire, especially with winds expected to pick up later this week. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
The wildfire is situated near two ski resorts: Sugar Bowl and Soda Springs. Sugar Bowl gave an update on Monday, showing the proximity of the Royal Fire to the historic ski resort. Soda Springs has yet to release a public statement. Other ski resorts that are situated nearby but not as close to the wildfire are Boreal Mountian and Donner Ski Ranch.
The last update stated that the fire had reached 215 acres. The good news is that it is now 15% contained.
Image Credits: Sugar Bowl Resort (Featured Image), CAL FIRE Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit, USFS-Tahoe National Forest