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Mosquito Fire

Unit Information

631 Coyote Street 
Nevada City, 
95959 
631 Coyote Street 
Nevada City, 
95959 

Incident Contacts

  • Local Fire Information: 211
    Email:
    2022.mosquito@firenet.gov
    Phone:
    530-264-8309
    Hours:
    8 a.m. - 8 p.m., daily

Mosquito Fire Update (09-17-22 AM)

Mosquito Fire
Publication Type: News 09/17/2022

 Size: 71,292 acres
 Containment: 21%
 Total Personnel: 3,453
 Start Date & Time: Tuesday, 9-6-2022, 6:27 p.m.
 Cause: Under Investigation
 Location: Mosquito Road at Oxbow Reservoir
 Suppression Strategy: Full Suppression
 People Evacuated: 11,277
 Structures Threatened: 9,236
 Total Structures Destroyed: 78
 Total Structures Damaged: 13

The Mosquito Fire remains in unified command with California Interagency Incident Management Team 5, CAL FIRE, Placer County Sheriff, and El Dorado County Sheriff.

CURRENT SITUATION

Evacuation Orders for portions of Georgetown were lifted on Friday, September 16 at 4:00 p.m., with repopulation starting for the areas west of Wentworth Springs Road at Citabria Lane, north of Greenwood Road, and Graybar Mine Road, east of Highway 193 at Sliger Mine Road, and south of Bottle Hill Road and Snow Cap Road. As firefighters and cooperators make progress in ensuring that the threat of fire has been mitigated and the infrastructure is safe for each surrounding community, more evacuation orders will be lifted.

Overnight, firefighters continued patrolling and securing control lines in anticipation of increased gusty winds coming into the fire area today ahead of the advancing storm system. Winds are forecasted to peak mid-afternoon with 20-25 mph gusts along the ridges. These winds will test containment lines and have the potential to spread embers and start spot fires ahead of the eastern flank.

With the moderated fire behavior on Friday and last night due to the smoke inversion, crews and equipment continued constructing direct and indirect control lines to the north and east of the Mosquito Fire. Firefighters face challenging terrain in the North and Middle Forks of the American River to the east of the oncoming fire front. Crews have been successful in their operations to cut off the west and north corners, with the southeast corner fire growth slowing on its own as it burns into the King Fire scar. The burn operation in Middle Fork drainage below Todd Valley has been completed, and crews will continue to monitor and hold their control lines.

The weather changes will be the biggest challenge for firefighters over the next several days. Increased gusty southwest winds will arrive Saturday, with the main weather front and the first round of precipitation forecasted to begin early Sunday. Rainfall is predicted to last through Wednesday, with wetting rain totals nearing 1” by the end of the system. While the rain will help moderate and slow the fire’s growth, it is not forecasted to be a season-ending event. With the critically dry fuels and warmer weather back in the forecast for later next week, firefighters will use this weather system as an opportunity to make significant progress in containing the fire.

EVACUATIONS — PLACER COUNTY

Placer County interactive evacuation map: placer.ca.gov/evacuations.

ReadyPlacer dashboard for Mosquito Fire information: tinyurl.com/234azf6d 

Evacuation Orders are in effect for the following zones in Placer County:
 Zone 1: Michigan Bluff
 Zone 2: Baker Ranch Mobile Home Park
 Zone 3
 Zone 4: Downtown Foresthill
 Zone 5
 Zone 6
 Zone 7: Todd Valley
 Zone 8: Sierra Vista Mobile Home Park
 Zone 9: North Side of Foresthill Road
 Zone 10: Spring Garden / Whitehawk Ridge
 Zone 11A: Yankee Jims and Shirttail Canyon
 Zone 12
 Zone 14
 Zone 21
 Zone 22
Evacuation Warnings are in effect for the following zones in Placer County:
 Zone 15: Foresthill Road at Lake Clementine
 Zone 23
 Zone 25: Sawtooth Ridge to the American River
 Zone 26
 

EVACUATIONS EL DORADO COUNTY

El Dorado County interactive evacuation map: bit.ly/3ATtqao

El Dorado County dashboard for Mosquito Fire information: edcgov.us/mosquito-fire-information

Evacuation Orders are in effect for the following areas in El Dorado County:
 Area Name: Volcanoville
 Area Name: Quintette
 Area Name: Bald Mountain
 Area Name: Grey Eagle
 Area Name: Canyon Creek
 Area Name: Stumpy Meadows
 Area Name: Georgetown - Orders remain for Sliger Mine Road north of Loriel Drive and Spanish Dry Diggins Road north of Odyssey Falls Drive

Evacuation Warnings are in effect for the following areas in El Dorado County:
 Area Name: Cool
 Area Name: Garden Valley
 Area Name: Swansboro / Slate Mountain
 Area Name: East Stumpy Meadows
 Area Name: Georgetown - West of Wentworth Springs Road at Citabria Lane, North of Greenwood Road and Graybar Mine Road, East of Highway 193 at Sliger Mine Road.

ROAD CLOSURES

View road closures in the vicinity of the Mosquito Fire on the Caltrans interactive map:  quickmap.dot.ca.gov.

EVACUATION CENTERS

Placer County:

·       Sierra College, 5100 Sierra College Blvd., Rocklin, California. Enter on Rocklin Road for parking, which is in Lot B. Shelter is in cafeteria (building J).

El Dorado County:

·       Cameron Park Services District, 2502 Country Club Drive, Cameron Park, California. Overnight shelter with meals, showers, limited health services, and parking for trailers. Animals in crates and carriers are allowed.

·       Green Valley Community Church, 3500 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville, California. RV parking is limited and no hookups. Small domestic animals in crates or on leashes are allowed (no large animals or birds).

ANIMAL SHELTERS

Placer County:

·       Gold Country Fairgrounds, 209 Fairgate Road, Auburn, California (large & small animals, livestock ok)

El Dorado County:

·       Diamond Springs Shelter, 6435 Capitol Avenue, Diamond Springs, California (small animals only)

·       Rancho Murieta Equestrian Center: call 916-985-7334 for information (equines only)

·       Flying M Ranch, 5421 Buck Mountain Road, Placerville, California (large animals only)

NATIONAL FOREST CLOSURES

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

·       The Rubicon Jeep Trail Closure went into effect on Friday, September 16 and is covered by two orders: Tahoe National Forest Order No. 17-22-10 (tinyurl.com/3uapupe5, includes map) and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Order No. 19-22-07 (tinyurl.com/2p9ckfcr, includes map).

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

·       Eldorado National Forest Order No. 03-22-16 (tinyurl.com/5dxz5cp6, includes map).

STRUCTURE STATUS

A Damage Inspection Specialist (DINS) Team is currently completing property assessments in Placer and El Dorado counties. The following resources for residents will be updated as the team continues its assessments:

  • Placer County: The Damage Inspections Report (DINS) for Placer County is now complete. The report highlights the results of the inspection of every structure within the perimeter of the fire on the Placer County side. Visit tinyurl.com/j9b28ufb to get the most updated information on what was affected.
  • El Dorado County: Residents should go to the online interactive map (tinyurl.com/4pkujys9) and zoom in to their property or type their address in the search field.