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Farad Fire update: I-80 reopens near Truckee and Lake Tahoe; containment at 20 percent

Wyatt Haupt Jr. | whaupt@sierrasun.com
A westbound stretch of Interstate 80 has been shut down east of the Farad Exit because of a brush fire.
CHP Truckee / Facebook

UPDATE by the Associated Press

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Fire crews were getting the upper hand on a wildland blaze that shut down U.S. Interstate 80 along the Nevada-California line most of Tuesday as helicopters dumped water on the flames in the rugged mountain canyons west of Reno.

A 25-mile stretch of I-80 that had been closed off-and-on since the fire broke out Monday reopened late Tuesday afternoon with some lane restrictions and intermittent safety checks near Truckee, California.

The Sierra Front Interagency Fire Center estimated the fire had burned about a square mile (1.61 kilometer) and was 20 percent contained. No evacuations have been ordered, but crews were stationed late Tuesday around seven structures considered threatened in the Verdi area just west of Reno.

Liberty Utilities said about 40 customers were without power after eight power poles burned near Floriston, California. Liberty spokeswoman Kathy Carter said they planned to begin work to get a temporary generator in place overnight as soon as firefighters determined it was safe to enter the area.

Earlier Tuesday, traffic was backed up for 3 miles on westbound I-80 approaching the closure at the California line where flames burned within 15 feet of the highway near the Truckee River.

The smoke triggered an air quality alert in the Reno-Sparks area where the Washoe County Health District urged young children, the elderly and people with lung disease or asthma to avoid any extended outdoor activity.

UPDATE 1:20 p.m. I-80 closed in both directions near Truckee and Lake Tahoe; blaze grows to 670 acres

The Farad Fire, which is burning in an area about 12 miles northeast of Truckee, has grown to 670 acres, authorities said on Tuesday afternoon, July 11.

The eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 80 remain closed. There is no timetable for the lanes to be reopened.

There are no evacuation orders in effect, although seven structures are being monitored in the Gold Ranch and Verdi Peak areas. No injuries have been reported.

 

UPDATE TUESDAY MORNING: I-80 closed in both directions northeast of TruckeeI-80 closed in both directions northeast of Truckee

The eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 80 were closed on Tuesday morning, July 11, because of the Farad Fire about 12 miles northeast of Truckee, the California Highway Patrol said.

The closures were made because of water helicopters working the fire, smoke, and debris.

The fire, which is located in the hills above I-80 near the Farad Exit, was reported about 1 p.m. on Monday, July 10. The wind-driven fire quickly made its way up the adjacent hillside, and continues to burn in an area void of structures.

The wildfire, which has scorched 600 acres, is 10 percent contained, according to CAL FIRE.

UPDATE: Farad Fire northeast of Truckee grows to 600 acres

The eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 have been reopened after being shuttered because of a wildfire that has scorched about 600 acres about 12 miles northeast of Truckee, authorities said.

The westbound side should be open in about an hour, said California Highway Patrol Officer Pete Mann at about 6:43 p.m. on Monday, July 10.

“The winds have calmed down,” he said.

The wildfire was 10 percent contained as 6:07 p.m., CAL FIRE said.

The fire, which is located in the hills above I-80 near the Farad Exit, was reported about 1 p.m. on Monday. The wind-driven fire quickly made its way up the adjacent hillside, and continues to burn in an area void of structures.

UPDATE 3:30 1 lane o1 lane of westbound I-80 reopens near fire east of Truckeef westbound I-80 reopens near fire east of Truckee

California Highway Patrol is reporting that one lane of westbound Interstate 80 is now open east of the Farad exit.

A brush fire had closed all lanes of westbound I-80 earlier this afternoon. In a Facebook live video, CHP Truckee says traffic is flowing slowly.

CHP advises motorists heading toward the Tahoe Basin to take alternate routes.

ORIGINAL POST: Brush fire closes westbound I-80 east of Truckee

A westbound stretch of Interstate 80 has been shut down east of the Farad exit because of a brush fire on Monday afternoon, July 10, the California Highway Patrol said.

The fire is located about 14 miles east of Truckee. Eastbound I-80 is open.

“Looks like it started near the roadside,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Pete Mann at 2:35 p.m. on Monday.

He added that the fire was working its way up an adjacent hill, and a California Department of Transportation crew was working to open up a westbound lane.

This story will be updated.


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