LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE

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LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE

• 24-27 JUNE 2007

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE

• Lake Tahoe, which is famous for its ski resorts,
  is dense with multimillion-dollar vacation homes
  and lush woodland, which provide a nearly
  unlimited fuel supply once a wildfire is ignited.
  

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE SUNDAY JUNE 24, 2007

• The fire started on Sunday afternoon, June 24th.
• Human activities (usually campfires) are believed
  to have been the cause.
• California State officials said it was the
  largest on record in the area and a
  1-in-100-years fire.

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE

• Although the fire is believed to have been caused
  by human activity, the heightened potenial for
  fire in the region had been recognized earler as
  a consequence of the lower than usual winter snow
  pack.
• This year, the spring snow runoff was 40 percent
  less than usual, leaving the region drier than
  usual.

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2007

• The fire was only 5 percent contained on Monday
  morning.
• Officials had no estimate on when full
  containment would happen.
• More than 700 firefighters were at the scene, and
  22 federal strike teams were on the way.

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2007

• In the community of Tahoe Mountain alone, more
  than 200 homes were left in large piles of ashes.
  
• The fire burned so hot that firefighters had to
  retreat overnight, abandoning some homes to the
  flames,

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2007

• Aided by high winds, the fire was moving fast,
  and it was hot.
• It looked like an inferno eating up the whole
  region.
• It quickly burned more than 2,000 acres (more
  than 3 square miles)

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2007

• Flames were whipped 70 feet (20 m) into the air.
• Airplanes continued to drop chemicals to
  suppress the fire and slow its spread.

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LAKE TAHOE WILDFIRE

• Fire crews planned to continue their
  counterattack with water and retardant drops from
  air tankers.
• Firefighters also planned to continue cutting
  fire lines to contain the fire.
• Time was of the essence as the forecast called
  for high winds and low humidity later in the
  week.