SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - In a fast breaking development shortly before 3 p.m., the Angora fire jumped its northern perimeter as the wind picked up and a massive plume of smoke filled the sky. Residents of Tallac village were being evacuated, fire officials said.
Just an hour before, at a press briefing, fire officials were confidently predicting that the fire would be contained by Sunday.
As of 6 a.m. Tuesday, the cost of fighting the Angora fire reached $1.5 million and is expected to mount to $30 million before it's finished, officials said during the press briefing Tuesday afternoon.
So far, there has been just one minor injury in the conflagration that began Sunday and has burned 2,730 acres, destroying 200 homes and 75 other structures in its path.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though it is believed to be of human origin since there were no lightning strikes in the area Sunday afternoon.
With controlled burns, authorities expect the final total to be in the ballpark of 3,000 acres burned - as long as firefighters can hold the line now that winds have picked up.
Capt. Chuck Dickson, a spokesman for the multi-agency firefighting effort, said fire crews are working hard to create "defensible spaces" around homes that have not been damaged. They are removing pine needles and trimming trees, in case the wind really picks up and the smoldering fire reignites.
"We want to get people back in as soon as we can," Dickson said. He advised people to call an information phone line set up to provide residents with re-entry information: (530) 621-5866.
An army of 1,700 firefighters is on the scene.
He said there is cautious optimism that the four-square-mile fire will be fully contained by Sunday - which is especially good news for owners of 800 structures still under threat.
The weather situation is the bad news.
The National Weather Service is calling for increasing wind and critically low humidity through the rest of the week. Temperatures are remaining blessedly low, with highs in the mid-70s.
"We have a weather system coming toward the coast - no rain or lightning, but it will bring an increase in wind," said meteorologist Mike Smith. "Currently, for the Angora fire area, we're expecting southwest winds during the day Wednesday from 10-20 miles per hour, with gusts up to 30- and 40-mile per hour gusts on the ridge tops."
He said the gusty winds are expected to become more widespread and slightly stronger Thursday and Friday.
On Sunday, when the Angora fire started and spread, gusts hit 30 miles an hour.
By Ryan Lillis and Dorothy Korber - Bee Staff Writers
Last Updated 3:32 pm PDT Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1
