Tamarack Fire

Tamarack Fire Update 

Sunday, August 8, 2021 – 9:00 a.m. 

Sierra Front Type 3 Incident Management Team 1 

Scott Stephenson, Incident Commander  

Information Phone: 775-434-8629 (public and media) 

Email: 2021.tamarack@firenet.gov  

Information Staffing Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Special Note: Smoke from the Dixie Fire remains in the area this morning. To check local smoke conditions, see: https://fire.airnow.gov/#. Winds are forecast to pick up later this afternoon, which may improve air quality. 

Current Situation: Hard work by firefighters on the Tamarack Fire has led to an increase in containment. Total containment is now 80%. The strategy for this fire continues to be full suppression using a combination of containment in Divisions K, O, and Q, and confinement in Division A.  

Two suppression repair groups are working on priority areas to minimize impacts of fire suppression activities on natural and cultural resources. As part of this work, crews are distributing slash along dozer or hand lines to prevent soil erosion and water channeling. This helps restore plant communities and is not a fuel-concern. Crews are also removing hazard trees. Hazard trees are those that are fire-damaged and likely to fall on a road or developed site, threatening safety. Utility companies are also working in the fire area, removing trees that may impact power lines. 

Divisions K and O – Crews on the west edge of the fire were able to add containment line. Division K is now in patrol status. An engine is supporting the repair crew and watching for any hot spots, especially near communities. In Division O, engines and crews are mopping up along the fire line and ensuring containment near homes and structures. 

Division Q – This area currently has the most heat. We have four hand crews working to strengthen existing containment line and contain the remaining fire edge in the southwest portion of the division.  

Division A – A second module of wildland firefighters is being added to this division. Because of the extremely steep, jagged terrain and the lack of fire movement, firefighters are using a suppression strategy of confinement in this area.  Firefighters are ready to take action in the unlikely event that fire gets out of the surrounding rocky terrain. Helicopter reconnaissance flights, infrared mapping, and time-lapse cameras assist with observation 24 hours a day. In the unlikely event the fire crosses established Management Action Points, firefighters will use suppression tactics where feasible, with aircraft support. 

Weather and Fuel Conditions: Widespread smoke and haze continue today. The predicted high is 90 degrees, with relative humidity as low as 9%. Winds are out of the south, with gusts up to 30 mph. Fuels remain very dry.  

Closures, and Fire Restrictions: For closures and fire restrictions on National Forest lands, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/htnf/alerts-notices. 

Tamarack Fire Statistics: 

Size: 68,696 acres  

Containment: 80% 

Total Personnel: 407 

Location: Markleeville, CA 

Reported: July 4, 2021 

Cause: Lightning 

For More Information: 

Public and media information phone: 775-434-8629 

Public and media email: 2021.tamarack@firenet.gov 

InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7674/  

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tamarackfireinfo 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tamarack_fire  

YouTube: https://bit.ly/TamarackVideo 

Air Now: https://fire.airnow.gov/#  

• Tamarack Fire Daily Update Aug. 8, 2021 (pdf 194 kb)