Bruins fall short
New Rose blooms
Ponderosa loses nailbiter to visiting Casa Roble.
El Dorado County has a lovely new ambassador.
Sports, A3
News, etc., B1
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mtdemocrat.com
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Volume 170 • Issue 114
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Firefighters edge Caldor as weather flips Mountain Democrat staff Firefighters saw high winds and light precipitation Tuesday night, measuring about one-tenth of an inch over the Caldor Fire. The weather front also brought cooler temperatures and higher humidity. Officials leading the firefight say the combination of cooler temperatures, higher humidity and light winds will provide a window of reduced fire activity that allows for “aggressive” mop up in and around the fire perimeter. High winds Monday into Tuesday morning weren’t as favorable for fire crews. Those high winds grounded rotor wing operations for much of Monday, according to California Interagency Incident Management Team 12 Operations Section Chief Al Ward. Fixed-wing aircraft were allowed to operate as they are less affected by wind. On the ground Ward reported firefighters are seeing heat near containment lines in the Echo Lakes area. He said crews are “tactically patrolling” and working to control interior flare-ups but “nothing has crossed the line.” Firefighters’ top priority continues to be strengthening containment lines in the area north and west of Caples Lake, west of Silver Lake and in Desolation Wilderness. Near Silver Lake containment lines are coming together. “We are starting to gain ground on that (area),” Ward explained while pointing to containment lines northwest of Silver Lake on a large map. Ward said there is still a pocket of hand line on that stretch of Caldor’s perimeter that “continues to be stubborn and give (firefighters) heat near the line.” “All of our lines (were) being challenged by the wind but (we) are meeting that challenge,” he added. Fire crews are also seeing an interior island of active fire where the 2019 Caples Fire burned in the Caples Creek area north of Highway 88. On the uncontained perimeter north of Lake Margaret firefighters are going “deeper and deeper to secure that active edge,” Ward said, adding that firefighting activity was curtailed there Monday due to high winds and fire-weakened trees that pose a threat to firefighters. A new fire has sparked to the north of the Caldor Fire between Wright’s Lake and Desolation Wilderness. On Monday air attack was seeing “minimal growth” there, according to Ward. “Prior to the wind increasing to the point where we could not work (helicopters) we did put bucket drops on that fire,” Ward said. On Saturday some Caldor crews were diverted to assist with a 7-acre blaze off 11 Pines Road near the Rubicon River on the 2014 King Fire burn scar. Fire officials reported 100% containment of that fire Monday. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Team 12 Incident Commander Michael Nobles reported that Team 13, led by Incident Commander Michael Wakowski, will take over the Caldor firefight Wednesday. The Caldor Fire, which first sparked Aug. 14 near Omo Ranch, has burned 221,774 acres as of press time Tuesday. Containment has held at 76% since Sept. 20, according to U.S. Forest Service data. PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE
Mountain Democrat photo by Andrew Vonderschmitt
Signs and caution tape warn vehicles and pedestrians it is not safe to use Mt. Murphy Bridge after a truck crashed there at about 2 a.m. Saturday.
Crash damage forces Mt. Murphy Bridge closure to remain closed for “several months” until repairs are made. They are asking motorists to use backroads Mt. Murphy Road or Bayne Road as a detour. The Mt. Murphy Bridge is the most direct route from Coloma’s Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park and Highway 49 to the east side of the river, where there are residences as well as the Coloma Resort tent and RV
n RVers brave
Bayne Road detour Krysten Kellum Associate Editor
A DUI crash that damaged the Mt. Murphy Bridge over the South Fork of the American River in Coloma has forced authorities to close Courtesy photo the crossing until A main support column and railing are damaged on the Mt. repairs are made. Murphy Bridge in Coloma after a truck crashed on the bridge Levi Nuesmeyer, early Saturday morning. 37, of Placerville was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence after the 2022 Toyota Tundra he was campground. Former Southern Californians-turned crossdriving reportedly struck railing and a column on country RVers Diane and Marty Weston were the bridge. among the campers departing Coloma Resort California Highway Patrol investigators say Monday. Diane said there were “19 or so” RVers Nuesmeyer sustained minor injuries in the 2 a.m. still in the park who left by Bayne Road. She noted incident and was the sole occupant of the truck. some left their RVs behind and drove home in He was transported to Marshall Hospital and then their trucks or towed vehicles. booked into the El Dorado County Jail on DUI Marty, who Diane described as an experienced charges. driver, took the helm of their 40-foot Tiffin County Department of Transportation Allegro Bus as Diane followed in their Jeep, which Maintenance Division staff assessed the bridge otherwise would have been towed behind. and reported “severe structural damage caused “The drive was terrifying … We sustained some by a reckless driver running into one of the main columns.” DOT officials say they expect the bridge n See Bridge closure, page A3
First phase of debris removal under way Eric Jaramishian Staff writer El Dorado County homeowners affected by the Caldor Fire can get no-cost debris removal services through the California Office of Emergency Services-run Consolidated Debris Removal Program. To qualify for the program, structures must be 120-squarefeet or larger and on burned private property, according to
Environmental Management Director Jeffrey Warren. Warren got El Dorado County supervisors up to speed on the two-phase program at their Sept. 21 board meeting. In the second phase homeowners need to fill a right-of-entry form to give permission to the state and county to access the property and perform clean-up work, due Nov. 15 to participate, according to Warren. Phase one, which is currently
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Phase two begins the removal of structural debris and hazard trees. Cal OES and local officials coordinate with CalRecycle to conduct fire-related debris removal. This phase of the program is voluntary and includes site assessments and documentation, removal of all burned debris, contaminated soil and foundation. The program also covers n
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