Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Supported by

Hundreds Of Firefighters Join Battle Against Fire Near Tahoe

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Air tankers and helicopters are helping hundreds of firefighters battle a wildfire south of Lake Tahoe.

No structures have been damaged but the California mountain town of Markleeville remains on standby for possible evacuations.

Sierra Front fire spokeswoman Jenny Ramella said about 500 personnel are expected to be on the fire lines about 20 miles west of the Nevada border.

Sponsor Message

The fire was sparked by lightning on Friday and has burned nearly 15 square miles of timber and grass.

Elsewhere, cooler weather was expected to aid crews making progress against a huge forest fire in a remote area of the San Bernardino Mountains.

The fire about 90 miles east of Los Angeles was 21 percent contained and holding steady at about 27 square miles as firefighters attacked the flames with a fleet of water-dropping aircraft.