Placerville asks Caldor Fire evacuees to clear parking lots for firefighter staging areas

City officials on Monday morning asked Caldor Fire evacuees to move out of Placerville parking lots needed as staging areas for firefighting vehicles, equipment and personnel for the wildfire continuing to burn in eastern El Doardo County toward South Lake Tahoe.

Evacuees who set up in Placerville, especially those at Park and Ride parking lots, should move to certified evacuation sites that have resources to support those forced to flee their homes, the Placerville Police Department announced on Facebook.

City officials are running into challenges finding space for staging of fire fighting equipment and personnel in Placerville.

“It is no secret that we have limited real estate here in town, and at the onset of this operation the city was set up to support the fire fighting efforts,” Placerville Police Chief Joe Wren wrote in the Facebook post Monday. “As more equipment is being brought in from throughout the United States, we need a place for them.”

He said that he confirmed there was still space available at nearby evacuation sites Monday.

Overnight shelters for Caldor Fire evacuees in the Placerville area include:

▪ Cameron Park Community Services District, 2502 Country Club Drive in Cameron Park

▪ Green Valley Community Church (limited RV access available; first come-first served), 3500 Missouri Flat Road in Placerville

▪ Rolling Hills Church (RV access available) 800 White Rock Rd in El Dorado Hills

The Caldor Fire had burned 177,260 acres (277 square miles) with 14% containment as of Monday morning, Cal Fire and Forest Service officials reported.

The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said Sunday evening that nearly 30,000 residents have evacuated from El Dorado County, plus nearly 4,000 more from Amador and Alpine counties, due to the Caldor Fire.

This story was originally published August 30, 2021 at 11:27 AM.

Rosalio Ahumada

The Sacramento Bee

916-326-5549

Rosalio Ahumada writes breaking news stories related to crime and public safety for The Sacramento Bee. He speaks Spanish fluently and has worked as a news reporter in the Central Valley since 2004.