Update: State Of Emergency Declared For Mosquito Fire

Updated at 11:25am: CAL Fire reports that the incident command is having a difficult time mapping the fire acreage due to the heavy smoke. CAL Fire reports that the Mosquito Fire is now “at least 23,000 acres.”

A federal emergency declaration has now also been approved for the incident, paving the way for additional federal dollars to help both suppress the fire and clean up afterward.

Original story posted at 6:20am: Placer County, CA — The Mosquito Fire, burning through El Dorado and Placer counties, and putting up drift smoke in the Mother Lode region, has prompted a State of Emergency Declaration from Governor Gavin Newsom.

It opens up the door for additional federal resources to both help contain the fire and assist in the cleanup afterward. The official size estimate from CAL Fire this morning is 13,705 acres and there is no containment. At a public meeting last night, Operations Chief Nolan Hale stated, “The fire made about a 5,000 acre run (Thursday), to the south and into El Dorado County.”

Firefighters have faced extreme temperatures, steep terrain and heavy vegetation.

The evacuation area expanded yesterday to Todd Valley in Placer County and Georgetown and El Dorado County. The fire has been threatening other communities like Foresthill, and destroyed homes in the area of Michigan Bluff Road.

CAL Fire has not released a count of how many structures have been damaged.