SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters faced a critical day in efforts to prevent a massive California wildfire from reaching the Lake Tahoe resort region Saturday, hoping to take advantage of calmer winds before hot, heavy gusts return. The fire so far has burned about 149,000 acres, or 233 square miles (603 square kilometers). “It’s going to be a very pivotal day for us,” Horner said. The Caldor fire has destroyed more than 600 structures since it started on Aug. 14 in the Sierra Nevada. South Lake Tahoe City Manager Joe Irvin issued an emergency proclamation Thursday so the city that’s home to Heavenly Ski Resort can be better prepared if evacuation orders come and be reimbursed for related expenses.
