Size: 76,788 acres
Containment: 90%
Total Personnel: 1,406

CURRENT SITUATION

Four key operations are the focus of current firefighting efforts on the Mosquito Fire: full fire suppression, suppression repair and strengthening contingency firelines, and hazard tree abatement. Firefighters are still fully suppressing the fire and significant ground crews and aerial resources are still working on the fire.

Firefighters are working to secure fireline in the Blacksmith area and build containment line in areas difficult to access along the Eleven Pines Road on the east side of the fire. Firefighters cannot access the Rubicon River drainage because the very steep terrain is not safe to do so. Contingency fireline, further away, is in place to contain the fire should any unanticipated spread occur. Hotshot crews are also suppressing hot spots of unburned vegetation within the fire’s perimeter.

Fire crews work to improve the road conditions around and within the fire’s perimeter. Specialized crews are working extensively on hazard tree mitigation, especially along Mosquito Ridge Road. Hazard tree mitigation operations often mimic commercial logging operations. However, there are no active commercial logging activities currently within the fire area. Piles of logs (decks) which will eventually be removed are being created in areas of heavy tree removal. These dead, diseased or fire-stressed trees pose a safety risk to visitors, forest employees, cooperators and critical infrastructure.

A Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team has been established by the Tahoe National Forest and Eldorado National Forest to begin post-fire burned area assessments of the Mosquito Fire. BAER team assessments and resulting recommendations typically take approximately two weeks to complete.

ROAD CLOSURES

·       Mosquito Ridge Road will be closed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until further notice. Staffed roadblocks will be located at several intersections.

·       For Placer County Road closures, visit ReadyPlacer.org

·       For El Dorado County road closures, visit EDCGov.us

NATIONAL FOREST CLOSURES

National Forest System lands, roads, and trails in the vicinity of the Mosquito Fire are closed under multiple orders. Maps are included in the Orders linked below.

·       Tahoe National Forest Order No. 17-22-09 (tinyurl.com/2dfxw6v9)

·       Eldorado National Forest Order No. 03-22-17 (tinyurl.com/3rtd9rm9)