Why scientists blame climate crisis for extreme weather
CNN
—
Firefighters in California made significant progress against the Caldor Fire over the weekend, allowing for some evacuation orders in the Lake Tahoe region to be downgraded. But as residents there began to breathe a sigh of relief, three new fires ignited in the state Sunday, according to Cal Fire.
Evacuation orders for the city of South Lake Tahoe were downgraded to evacuation warnings, nearly a week after thousands in the resort town clogged roadways when officials told them get out because flames were racing into the area.
Other parts of El Dorado County saw their evacuation orders downgraded to a warning Saturday while other warnings were lifted, according to Cal Fire.
The areas of Fallen Leaf Lake, Christmas Valley, Meyers and North Upper Truckee remain under an evacuation order.
Across the state border in Nevada, mandatory evacuations in Douglas County were downgraded to precautionary evacuations Saturday, according to an announcement on the county’s website, opening the door for some residents there to return home.
As of Monday morning, the Caldor Fire had consumed 216,358 acres near the California-Nevada border. The flames are 44% contained about three weeks after it started on August 14, Cal Fire said.
While still massive, the Caldor Fire’s growth slowed over the weekend, adding just 842 acres in a 24-hour period between Friday night and Saturday night, according to CNN’s analysis of fire information. That’s a far cry from its explosive start, when the fire grew to nearly 100,000 acres in its first week.
High temperatures ahead
Saturday night, fire behavior in the Caldor Fire’s East Zone was “minimal to moderate,” Cal Fire said in an update Sunday evening.
“There is still much work to be done tying in dozer lines and holding along the south and southeast flank of the fire above Caples Lake. However so far, firefighters are making good progress,” the report said.
As firefighters measure their progress, they are also keeping an eye on the forecast as another heat wave is shaping up for this week.
Nearly 25 million in California, Nevada, and Arizona will experience temperatures up to 20 degrees above average, meaning the region could see 105 to 115 degrees, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. The majority of the heat will impact the desert Southwest.
At the same time, a red flag warning is in effect for portions of central Oregon and central northern California on Tuesday, meaning conditions will be optimal for fire to spread, Guy said.
In the meantime, fire officials urged those returning to their homes to do so safely and keep an eye on updates.
“Repopulation consists of complex coordination between, fire, law enforcement, public works, and utilities to ensure the safety of residents and fire responders alike,” Cal Fire said.
The Caldor Fire has destroyed more than 900 structures since it began, including homes, business and other buildings, Cal Fire said. More than 27,000 structures are threatened.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David McNew/Getty Images
The Alisal Fire burns near Goleta, California, on Tuesday, October 12.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
A firefighter puts out a roadside fire in Goleta, California, on Wednesday, October 13.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
An air tanker drops retardant on a wildfire in Goleta.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
James Grooms looks through the remains of his home at the Rancho Marina Mobile Home & RV Park following the Brannan Fire in Sacramento County, California, on Tuesday, October 12.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Erick Madrid/Zuma
Firefighter Tyler McManigal battles the Alisal Fire in Gaviota, California, on October 12.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David McNew/Getty Images
A forest of ashen trees stands in the wake of the Windy Fire, south of California Hot Springs, on September 27.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Swanson/Reuters
A volunteer attempts to evacuate horses to safety as the Windy Fire expands in California's Sequoia National Forest on September 25.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Gary Kazanjian/Pool/AFP/Getty Images
Operations Section Chief Jon Wallace looks at the General Sherman giant sequoia tree at Sequoia National Park on September 22. The base of the tree, the world's largest by volume, was wrapped in an aluminum-based burn-resistant material to protect it from wildfires.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters spray water as flames from the Windy Fire push toward a road in California's Sequoia National Forest on September 22.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighters battling the Windy Fire extinguish a spot fire in the Sequoia National Forest on September 19.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
The Windy Fire burns in the Trail of 100 Giants grove in the Sequoia National Forest on September 19.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
A helicopter drops water on the KNP Complex Fire burning in Sequoia National Park on September 15.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Flames from the KNP Complex Fire burn along a hillside in the Sequoia National Park on September 14.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Great Basin Team 1 Air Attack Operations/U.S. Forest Service/ AP
This aerial photo, taken on September 4, shows the Dixie Fire on Horton Ridge in Plumas County, California.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty IMages
Riley Cantrell cries while she and boyfriend, Bradley Fairbanks, view what's left of her mother's home in Greenville, California, on September 4. It was destroyed by the Dixie Fire.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/SIPA USA
A firefighter is seen as the Caldor Fire rages near California's Silver Lake on September 2.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
A helicopter flies over Wrights Lake while battling the Caldor Fire in California's Eldorado National Forest.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Embers fly from a tree as the Caldor Fire burns along Highway 50 in California's Eldorado National Forest.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Dai Sugano/Digital First Media/The Mercury News/Getty Images
Veronica Foster, an evacuee from South Lake Tahoe, California, hugs her dog, Gracie, as she and her co-workers gather outside an evacuation center in Gardnerville, Nevada, on August 31. The governors of California and Nevada declared states of emergency as the fast-moving Caldor Fire prompted officials to tell everyone to get out of South Lake Tahoe.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Karl Mondon/Digital First Media/The Mercury News/Getty Images
Jason Marone of the Roseville Fire Department hoses down a hot spot in Meyers, California, on August 31.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Karl Mondon/Digital First Media/The Mercury News/Getty Images
A tree burns in a blackened forest at dawn on August 30 after the Caldor Fire tore through Twin Bridges, California.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Max Whittaker/The New York Times/Redux
A firefighter winds up hose at a spot fire near Meyers, California, on August 30.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The Caldor Fire burns homes along a ridge near South Lake Tahoe on August 30.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
South Lake Tahoe residents are stuck in gridlock while attempting to evacuate the city on August 30.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Will Lester/MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/Getty Images
A tanker makes a fire-retardant drop near Lytle Creek, California, on August 26 as efforts continued to stop the South Fire.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
A firefighter tries to extinguish flames at a burning house as the South Fire burned in Lytle Creek, California, on August 25.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
From left, Astrid Covarrubias, Jose Lamas and Maria Covarrubias walk through smoke after visiting their burned-out home in Lytle Creek on August 25.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David McNew/Getty Images
The French Fire continues to spread near Wofford Heights, California, on August 25.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David McNew/Getty Images
Firefighters are seen behind the flames of a backfire they were setting to battle the French Fire near Wofford Heights.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/Shutterstock
Crews battle California's Caldor Fire as it moved east toward Lake Tahoe on August 23.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
This aerial photo, taken on August 19, shows burned homes at the Creekside Mobile Home Park a day after they were destroyed by the Cache Fire in Clearlake, California.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Max Whittaker/The New York Times/Redux
Firefighters dig a containment line on the Caldor Fire near Pollock Pines, California, on August 18.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Eric Risberg/AP
Smoke and haze from wildfires obscure the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline on August 18.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
In this long-exposure photo, embers light up hillsides as the Dixie Fire burns near Milford, California, on August 17.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Destiney Barnard holds Raymond William Goetchius while stranded at a gas station in Doyle, California, on August 17. Barnard's car broke down as she was helping Raymond and his family flee the Dixie Fire.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ethan Swope/AP
Destroyed property is seen August 17 after the Caldor Fire passed through Grizzly Flats, California.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters spray water on trees being burned by the Dixie Fire near Janesville, California, on August 17.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
As the KNP Complex Fire approaches, Forest Service firefighters Armando Flores, right, and Heron Hilbach-Barger clear vegetation around structures at the Ash Mountain headquarters in Sequoia National Park, Calif., on Sept. 15, 2021. The blaze is burning near the Giant Forest, home to more than 2,000 giant sequoias.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images
A firefighting helicopter flies in front of the sun, which was shrouded in thick wildfire smoke near Lakeview, Oregon, on August 15.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via AP
Wind blows smoke away for a moment, revealing damage from the Parleys Canyon Fire in Utah on August 14.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News/Getty Images
Crews battle a fire in Newhall, California, on August 12.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
A table and chairs sit in front of a destroyed home in Greenville, California, on August 12.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Swanson/Reuters
A firefighter battles the Dixie Fire near Taylorsville, California, on August 10.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard/USA Today Network
Smoke plumes rise from the Kwis Fire near Eugene, Oregon, on August 10.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Odisho/Getty Images
A firefighter works to extinguish a controlled burn, a preventative measure, to protect a home in Greenville, California, on August 9.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighters battling the Dixie Fire clear a fallen tree from a roadway in Plumas County, California, on August 6.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Flames from the Dixie Fire consume a pickup truck on Highway 89, south of Greenville, California, on August 5.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Operations Chief Jay Walter passes the historic Sierra Lodge as the Dixie Fire burns through Greenville, California, on August 4. The fire leveled multiple historic buildings and dozens of homes in central Greenville.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
Firefighters work at a Greenville home that was engulfed by the Dixie Fire on August 4.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Swanson/Reuters
The Dixie Fire burns near Taylorsville, California, on July 29.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Sam Metz/AP
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, left, and Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak tour an area destroyed by the Tamarack Fire in Gardnerville, Nevada, on July 28.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard/USA Today Network
Firefighter Brentt Call walks through a burned-over area of the Bootleg Fire near Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 27.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Cal Fire Capts. Tristan Gale, left, and Derek Leong monitor a firing operation in California's Lassen National Forest on July 26. Crews had set a ground fire to stop the Dixie Fire from spreading.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Neal Waters/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Firefighters try to reach a fire site in Quincy, California, on July 25.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Maranie Staab/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Volunteers sort clothing at a donation shelter for those affected by the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Reuters
Scott Griffin surveys his property, which was destroyed by the Bootleg Fire in Sycan Estates, Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Flames consume a home as the Dixie Fire tears through the Indian Falls community of Plumas County, California, on July 24.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
August Frank/Lewiston Tribune/AP
People stand behind the fire line as flames from the Steptoe Canyon Fire spread through dry grass in Colton, Washington, on July 22.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Peter DaSilva/UPI/Shutterstock
Plumes of smoke from the Dixie Fire rise above California's Plumas National Forest, near the Pacific Gas and Electric Rock Creek Power House, on July 21.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Firefighters walk near a wildfire in Topanga, California, on July 19.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images
A firefighter does mop-up work in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, which has been struggling with the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Nathan Howard/AP
A car is charred by the Bootleg Fire along a mountain road near Bly, Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Ryder/Reuters
Nicolas Bey, 11, hugs his father, Sayyid, near a donated trailer they are using after their home was burned in the Bootleg Fire near Beatty, Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Ryder/Reuters
Firefighters extinguish hot spots in an area affected by the Bootleg Fire near Bly, Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Bryan Daniels/AP
A bear cub clings to a tree after being spotted by a safety officer at the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
Firefighters work to protect Markleeville, California, from the Tamarack Fire on July 17. The Tamarack Fire was started by a lightning strike.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Ty O'Neil/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The Tamarack Fire burns in Markleeville, near the California-Nevada border, on July 17.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Ryder/Reuters
A member of the Northwest Incident Management Team 12 holds a map of the Chuweah Creek Fire as wildfires devastated Nespelem, Washington, on July 16.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Payton Bruni/AFP/Getty Images
A cloud from the Bootleg Fire drifts into the air near Bly, Oregon, on July 16.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighters spray water from the Union Pacific Railroad's fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in California's Plumas National Forest on July 16.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Ryder/Reuters
Horses climb a hillside that was burned by the Chuweah Creek Fire in eastern Washington.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Payton Bruni/AFP/Getty Images
Fire from the Bootleg Fire illuminates smoke near Bly, Oregon, on the night of July 16.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
US Forest Service/ZUMA Press Wire
A firefighter battles the Bootleg Fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, along the Oregon and California border, on July 15.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Reuters
A firefighting aircraft drops flame retardant on the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon, on July 15.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Pete Caster/Lewiston Tribune via AP
Firefighters dig away at hot spots underneath stumps and brush after flames from the Snake River Complex Fire swept through the area south of Lewiston, Idaho, on July 15.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Ryder/Reuters
Burned cars sit outside a home that was destroyed by the Chuweah Creek Fire in Nespelem, Washington.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Nathan Howard/AP
Evacuee Dee McCarley hugs her cat Bunny at a Red Cross center in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 14.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
David Ryder/Reuters
An airplane drops fire retardant on the Chuweah Creek Fire in Washington on July 14.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Nathan Howard/AP
Operations Section Chief Bert Thayer examines a map of the Bootleg Fire in Chiloquin, Oregon, on July 13.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Fire consumes a home as the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire, tears through Doyle, California, on July 10. It's the second time in less than a year that the small town has been ravaged by a wildfire.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Reuters
Men hug a member of the Red Cross at a Bootleg Fire evacuation center in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Embers blow across a field as the Sugar Fire burns in Doyle, California, on July 9.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Noah Berger/AP
Firefighters monitor the Sugar Fire in Doyle, California, on July 9.
Photos: Wildfires raging in the West
Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images
In this long-exposure photograph, taken early on July 2, flames surround a drought-stricken Shasta Lake during the Salt Fire in Lakehead, California.
Progress accompanied by new fires
As fire officials recorded progress in the Caldor Fire, three new wildfires popped up in California Sunday.
In Amador County, near where the Caldor Fire is burning, the Lawrence Fire exploded to 46 acres, burning grass, brush and timber, Cal Fire said.
The fire prompted brief road closures and evacuations as it threatened a handful of structures, but firefighters were able to quickly mitigate the threat. The Lawrence Fire was 60% contained Monday.
Farther north in Placer County, the Bridge Fire burned 300 acres with 5% containment as of Monday. Cal Fire noted evacuations are in progress.
In Southern California, the Aruba Fire sparked in San Diego County, burning 100 acres southeast of the community of Rainbow, Cal Fire said. It was 15% contained Sunday night.
Overall, California has tallied 7,099 fire incidents in 2021 as the state suffers through a brutal fire season made worse by climate change that is fueling a grueling drought and high temperatures.
More than 1.9 million acres have burned in the state this year, according to Cal Fire. A large chunk of that comes from the Dixie Fire, which has scorched 910,495 acres across five counties in Northern California since it began on July 14. It is currently 57% contained, Cal Fire said Monday.
Nationally, 81 large wildfires are currently burning across 2.8 million acres, the National Interagency Fire Center said. Idaho has 20 fires and Montana has 19. Large swaths of the two states were under red flag warnings on Monday, according to the National Weather Service, due to gusty winds and relative low humidity in the region.
CNN’s Michael Guy, Deanna Hackney and Keith Allen contributed to this report.