EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. — As dry fuels and wind gusts of up to 35mph pushed the Caldor Fire further into the rugged terrain of the El Dorado National Forest Wednesday, communities lining Highway 50 are at risk of being wiped off the map.
“Well, this isn’t the first time our family has been in the line of fire, honestly,” said Abbey Pearson, the last in a long line of women to call Phillips Station home.
Homesteaded in 1850, Phillips Station is the historic home of one of California’s most important monthly snowpack surveys. In April, surveyors recorded just 59% of the average snowpack for that month, a measure of the drought helping to fuel the state’s wildfire crisis.
Despite the evacuation warning for her area, Pearson said she had decided not to leave.
“Because this is where my roots are,” Pearson said, however she said that she would go if authorities told her it was time.
Burning just a few miles west on Highway 50, the Caldor Fire climbed huge trees – parched from drought – with a boost from unpredictable wind gusts.
“Very unpredictable,” said Cal Fire Public Information Officer Stephen Horner. “As we’ve seen this year, the conditions we’ve had, this is very unpredictable fire behavior.”
Cal Fire and U.S. Forest Service officials escorted an ABC10 crew along a winding road to the head of the fire. A sudden wind change near the top forced the caravan to turn back quickly.
“We’re trying to do the best that we can to get people access to document this story, and as we’re in this area, the fire made a big run right where we were,” said Keith Wade, another spokesperson for Cal Fire.
Meanwhile, Pearson said she had a plan if the fire makes its way to Phillips Station – the propane tanks go off, the sprinklers go on, and the truck was already loaded.
“You let whomever tells you to go escort you out. And you make peace with what was your home and what you may or may not come back to,” Pearson said.
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