THURSDAY 9-15-22 KAHI MORNING NEWS

By BStigers on September 16, 2022.

Mosquito Wildfire grows another 20 acres now largest in state this year at 64,159 acres, 70 structures destroyed, Forest Hill Highschool protected following Tuesday Spot Fire up. 9236 structures threatened. Firefighter personnel: 3,655, People evacuated:11,277.

Rain and cooler temperatures are in Northern Californiaas forecast a two ingredients that could help curb the stateas biggest wildfire of the year. The Mosquito Fire, burning in Placer and El Dorado counties, recently surpassed Siskiyou Countyas McKinney Fire as the largest of 2022, scorching close to 64,200 acres as of this morning. The blaze will soon be met with rain between Saturday and Tuesday.

-0-UPDATE AS OF 7 AM TODAY

Overnight, smoke settled back into drainages due to easing winds, with a majority of the fire area seeing good humidity recovery. Firefighters continued working throughout the night, patrolling, mopping up, and securing control lines around the south and east sides of the fire. Crews and heavy equipment, including a large number of dozers, continued constructing indirect lines adjacent to steep and rugged terrain to the east of the main firefront. Firefighters remain engaged on the north side of the fire near Deadwood Road. Crews continued bringing strategic firing operations down the Deadwood Road from the Foresthill Divide Road with the intention of stopping the fireas northern spread. Firefighters were conducting similar operations on the southeast corner of the fire near Stumpy Meadows by constructing control lines and utilizing firing operations to secure them.

Todayas priorities remain securing each of the three corners of the fire. Firefighters have been very successful in holding the control lines along the communities of Todd Valley and Foresthill despite challenging fire conditions on Tuesday. Crews will continue extensive mop-up operations in those areas, the Foresthill Road corridor, and on the portions of line to the north of Volacanoville. Southwest winds have been favorable for the communities along Volcanoville Road, but firefighters remain in the areas to ensure the fire does not spot across containment lines. These mop-up operations include firefighters using hose lines, water, and hand tools to thoroughly extinguish or remove remaining burning material well inside the fireas edge. This is to ensure that no smoldering debris will roll, fall, or fly over the containment lines and start a spot fire. With the critically dry fuels in the area, it only takes a small ember to start a spot fire and spread rapidly in the steep terrain.

Todayas forecasted weather will be slightly cooler with lighter southwest winds that will continue to push out the smoke inversion and provide clear air over the fire area. Stronger winds are predicted for this weekend ahead of an incoming system that is forecasted to include precipitation. Air Quality forecast for this afternoon is FAIR.

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The Dutch Fire at Dutch Flatt and I 80 has obtained 60% after burning 48 acres. No evacuations at this time. Crews are assigned to this fire which is about 20 North East of the Mosquito fires Northern Border. Some local roads are closed to only local residents. I 80 shows flowing traffic with caution advised in the fire affected area both East and West bound lanes.