SOMERSET, Calif. — Evacuations were lifted after forward progress on a wildfire was stopped in the Somerset area of El Dorado County, Cal Fire said Sunday.
The so-called Rontree Fire was burning at Rontree Lane and Fairplay Road in the Somerset area.
Cal Fire said the fire has burned 13.75 acres so far. The fire is 50% contained.
According to a spokesperson for the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, there were about 5 homes impacted by the evacuations on Leap Frog Lane, however the evacuations has been lifted. Repopulation efforts for the area have begun.
Road closures in the area are still in place. Authorities are calling on people to avoid the area as heavy mop up continues.
Maps
This map from the National Interagency Fire Center shows fire activity (this may take a few seconds to load).
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, the 2022 fire season was quieter than previous years, but there were still several significant fires. January 2022 saw just one major incident with the Colorado Fire in Monterey County burning 687 acres. Fires picked up in May when the Lost Lake Fire burned through 5,856 acres. The largest fire in 2022, the Mosquito Fire, started in early September. It burned through more than 76,000 acres in El Dorado and Placer counties.
Overall, 331,360 acres burned in 2022 from 7,477 wildfires — well below the five-year average of 2.3 million acres. Over 870 structures were affected and nine people were killed, all civilians.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, and supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and knowing your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
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