A CLAW ABOVE
ART SALE
Cougars football to kick off season tonight ... air quality permitting.
EDH artist Joey Cattone’s work is up for auction Saturday.
Sports, A9
News, Etc. B1
170
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C ALI FORN IA’S OLDE ST NE W SPAPER
VOLUME 170 • ISSUE 98 | 75¢
mtdemocrat.com
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2021
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Mountain Democrat photo by Sel Richard
Evacuees Bob and Becky Darby from Newtown Road in Placerville hang out in camp chairs in the parking lot of the Cameron Park Community Center Tuesday.
Evacuees settled in Cameron Park Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
Mountain Democrat staff The Cameron Park Community Services District gym bustled with activity this week … and not the typical sneaker squeaks and bouncing balls. The gym became an emergency shelter for Caldor Fire evacuees and the community responded with so many donations, the shelter is now full of people and goods. “Due to the generous support of our community, we have an abundance of supplies. We are not accepting any donations,” CPCSD officials posted on Facebook Wednesday. Very appreciative of all those donations are ■
See EVACUEES, page A8
Mountain Democrat photo by Thomas Frey
El Dorado County and Diamond Springs fire protection district firefighters work to knock down flames at a home on Old Depot Road in Placerville Thursday morning.
Fire damages Old Depot Road home Thomas Frey Staff writer A fire broke out at a home on Old Depot Road in Placerville Thursday morning. The fire was reported at about 6:05 a.m., according to El Dorado PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
County Fire Protection District Chief Tim Cordero. Crews from El Dorado County, Diamond Springs and Cal Fire were called to put the blaze out. For several hours firefighters worked to control the flames, continuously keeping hose line aimed at the roof of the twostory home just a stone’s throw from Walmart. The house was still standing but appeared to have major interior damage. Crews were removing large items like mattresses and placing them outside. Asked if there were people living in the home who have been displaced, fire officials had not responded to the Mountain Democrat as of press time Thursday. The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to fire officials.
The sign marking the community of Grizzly Flat still stands surrounded by blackened forest after the Caldor Fire raced through the area, forcing residents to evacuate Monday night.
Caldor Fire slows but still ‘extremely active’ Krysten Kellum Associate editor Weather was favorable for firefighters Wednesday, stunting the growth of the Caldor Fire that has burned tens of thousands of acres between Grizzly Flat and Highway 50. While the blaze remains at 0% containment, Eric Schwab, Cal Fire operations section chief, said red-flag north winds predicted for Wednesday “haven’t made themselves known, which is a huge help for us.” An inversion layer also “sat over the fire for the day, dampening fire behavior,” according to Schwab. That break from what firefighters have described as extreme fire activity — about 47,000 acres burned Tuesday — has allowed crews to scout where they will put in control lines to stop the fire’s spread. The Caldor Fire has been burning since Saturday, destroying structures in Grizzly Flat and requiring thousands of area residents to evacuate. Thursday morning Cal Fire officials reported the Caldor Fire had burned 64,474 acres. Schwab said firefighters did a lot of field preparation for a control line along the entire eastern flank of the blaze Wednesday. Schwab noted flames were about ■
See CALDOR FIRE, page A3
Mountain Democrat photo by Thomas Frey
Hot spots flare up along Mormon Emigrant Trail Wednesday.
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
Firefighters from outside El Dorado County came in to assist with fighting the Caldor blaze early Wednesday morning. Agencies include Redondo Beach, Long Beach, L.A. and San Jose. Firefighters are pictured here taking a break near Grizzly Flat while awaiting assignment.
Little remains of a home on Tyler Drive in Grizzly Flat, one of many structures that burned in the Caldor Fire.
Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
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