Hundreds of people have been ordered to evacuate for a growing wildfire in El Dorado County, near South Lake Tahoe. Fire officials have named it the Emerald Fire.
The 200 acre timber blaze burning near Cascade Lake and Emerald Bay is being fueled by very strong winds, according to Cal Fire. Those winds are ahead of an incoming storm system and are fanning the fire in different directions. Just before 5 a.m. it began to rain over the fire.
By noon the fire was 25 percent contained, with eight crews fighting the blaze.
Evacuations have been ordered for the 500 homes in Spring Creek, Cathedral, the west shore of Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Properties and Cascade Lake.
If you're evacuating, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department said to travel north on Highway 89 towards Tahoe City. Highway 89 is closed from Placer County Line in Tahoe City to the 'Y' highway split in the City of South Lake Tahoe.
An evacuation center has been set up at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center, at 1180 Rufus Allen Boulevard.
