Incident Update Mosquito Fire

Situation Summary

On Tuesday, stronger southwest winds throughout the fire area cleared the smoke inversion and caused fire behavior to become more active. The Mosquito Fire spotted across the Middle Fork of the American River into the Pond Creek Drainage, which is just below the community of Foresthill. Steep terrain and critically dry fuels drove rapid fire growth and an aggressive upslope run towards Foresthill Road. A large contingency of firefighters and additional equipment responded to this southeast corner of the fire to actively defend and hold the fire along contingency lines. Over the past week, crews have been preparing a large number of these contingency lines around the fire as a way to prepare for situations like this where the fire escapes primary control lines.

Overnight, firefighters successfully held the fire within control lines along the southern edge of Foresthill and Todd Valley. On the northwest corner, crews were able to continue strategic firing operations along control lines from the Foresthill Divide Road to Deadwood Road. This four-mile stretch of line is crucial for helping hook and stop the fire’s northern spread. A large number of dozers and heavy equipment continued to work through the night in the areas to the east of the fire to build indirect control lines ahead of the advancing fire front. The fire remains active on this eastern front, steadily burning and advancing in heavy unburned fuels. Today’s number one priority remains strengthening and securing the southwest corner of the fire to protect and defend the communities of Foresthill and Todd Valley. Firefighters are prepared to actively engage in structure defense along the edges of these communities should the fire make similar runs as it did on Tuesday. Weather conditions are forecasted to be the same today with continued southwest winds, which will lead to clear skies and better ventilation for fire growth.

Evacuation orders and warnings remain for the communities surrounding the Mosquito Fire. Firefighters ask that residents take these orders seriously and leave the area when instructed to do so. The fire area remains a dynamic situation that may change at any time, as evidenced by the fire activity on Tuesday afternoon.

Road Closures

View road closures in the vicinity of the Mosquito Fire on the Caltrans interactive map:
https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

U.S. Forest Closures

El Dorado National Forest: The forest has issued a Forest Closure Order No. 03-22-16 which includes lands, roads and trails in the Mosquito Fire Area. View this order and related maps here: https://tinyurl.com/5dxz5cp6

Tahoe National Forest: The Tahoe National Forest has issued Forest Closure Order No. 17-22-09 which includes lands, roads and trails in the Mosquito Fire Area. View this order and related maps here:https://tinyurl.com/2dfxw6v9

Structure Status

A Damage Inspection Specialist (DINS) Team has started assessments in both El Dorado and Placer Counties. These assessments will be ongoing and will be updated as completed.

Placer County:
Please call Placer County OES at 530-886-5390

El Dorado County:
Please visit: https://tinyurl.com/4pkujys9

Evacuation Information:

Evacuation Orders

For maps and evacuation information, visit https://sites.google.com/view/mosquitofire/home

Placer County:
For a map of current evacuation orders in Placer County, please visit:
https://pcsogis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=34e6172213b540c8b8b064d8a7da4f76

Evacuation Orders are in effect for the following zones in Placer County:
Zone 1: Michigan Bluff
Zone 2: Baker Ranch Mobile Home Park
Zone 3
Zone 4: Downtown Foresthill
Zone 5
Zone 6

Zone 7: Todd Valley
Zone 8: Sierra Vista Mobile Home Park
Zone 9: North Side of Foresthill Road
Zone 10: Spring Garden/Whitehawk Ridge

Zone 11A: Yankee Jims and Shirttail Canyon (NEW)
Zone 12
Zone 14
Zone 21
Zone 22

Ready Placer Fire Information:
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/07930e6e8f034ae4bba71e8bfedb2779/page/Current-Incidents/

El Dorado County:
For a map of current evacuation orders in El Dorado County, please visit:
https://eldoradocounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=bfbfd933f4254a0db4bdbb2ebe866c10&fbclid=IwAR3J_vO2T2MoA2zjHn365vLIISMCF5egSMFVcitiW4mFe1NWN75v65Dt32I

Evacuation Orders are in effect for the following areas in El Dorado County:
Area Name: Volcanoville
Area Name: Quintette
Area Name: Bald Mountain
Area Name: Grey Eagle
Area Name: Canyon Creek
Area Name: Georgetown

Area Name: Stumpy Meadows (NEW)

El Dorado County Fire Information:
https://edcgov.us/mosquito-fire-information

Evacuation Centers

Placer County
Sierra College
5100 Sierra College Blvd.
Rocklin, CA (enter on Rocklin Road)
Parking will be in Lot B
Shelter will be in cafeteria (building J)

El Dorado County
Cameron Park Services District
2502 Country Club Drive
Cameron Park, CA 95682
Overnight shelter, meals, showers, limited health services, and parking for trailers will be provided. Animals in crates and carriers will be accepted.

Green Valley Community Church
3500 Missouri Flat Road
Placerville, CA
RV parking is limited and no hookups. Small domestic animals in crates or on leashes are allowed (no large animals or birds).

Animal Evacuation Centers

Placer County
Placer County Animal Services Center (Reached capacity and has suspended new intakes)
11232 B Avenue
Auburn, CA 95603

Nevada County Fairgrounds (Ceasing operation on 9-13-2022 and safely relocating animals to Gold Country Fairgrounds)
11228 McCourtney Road
Grass Valley, CA 95949

Evacuation Warnings

Placer County:

For a map of current evacuation warnings in Placer County, please visit:
https://pcsogis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=34e6172213b540c8b8b064d8a7da4f76

Evacuation Warnings are in effect for the following zones in Placer County:

Zone 15: Foresthill Road at Lake Clementine
Zone 23
Zone 25: Sawtooth Ridge to the American River

Zone 26: Iowa Hill Road at Mineral Bar to Elliott Bar Ranch Road, North of Big Dipper, Adelia Hill (NEW)

Ready Placer Fire Information:
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/07930e6e8f034ae4bba71e8bfedb2779/page/Current-Incidents/

El Dorado County:

For a map of current evacuation warnings in El Dorado County, please visit:
https://eldoradocounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=bfbfd933f4254a0db4bdbb2ebe866c10&fbclid=IwAR3J_vO2T2MoA2zjHn365vLIISMCF5egSMFVcitiW4mFe1NWN75v65Dt32I

Evacuation Warnings are in effect for the following areas in El Dorado County:
Area Name: Cool
Area Name: Garden Valley
Area Name: Swansboro / Slate Mountain
Area Name: East Stumpy Meadows

El Dorado County Fire Information:
https://edcgov.us/mosquito-fire-information

Animal Shelters

• Placer County Animal Services Center, 11232 B Avenue, Auburn, California (Reached capacity and has suspended new intakes)
• Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley, California (Ceasing operation on 9-13-2022 and safely relocating animals to Gold Country Fairgrounds)
• Gold Country Fairgrounds, 209 Fairgate Road, Auburn, California (opening 9-14-2022)
• Diamond Springs Shelter, 6435 Capitol Avenue, Diamond Springs, CA 95619 (small animals only)
• Rancho Murieta Equestrian Center, Call for information: 916-985-7334 (equines only)
• Flying M Ranch, 5421 Buck Mountain Road, Placerville, CA 95667 (large animals only)

Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow.

Water Tenders

80

Dozers

65

Hand Crews

32

Total Personnel

3052

Cooperating Agencies