https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/09/01/caldor-fire-updates-nevada-evacuation-orders-fire-nears-lake-tahoe/5678322001/?fbclid=IwAR1esV9jn8IzZ91KVTCpcLzOlRFe_Y5eW2XSeDAfdmLoPH6OZkr6z1r4Gvs

Ryan W. MillerTerell WilkinsChristal HayesKristin OhUSA TODAY0:080:43https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.478.1_en.html#goog_2007155408

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Fire crews are anxiously awaiting better weather conditions over the next several days that will allow them to get a better handle on the massive blaze burning miles from scenic Lake Tahoe that spurred a mass exit from the region. 

The Caldor Fire has continued to spread east but fire crews have been able to corral the blaze just south of Lake Tahoe, known for its picturesque beaches, emerald-blue waters, rocky shorelines and stunning landscapes in the Sierra Nevada. As of Wednesday evening, the blaze had spread through nearly 324 square miles and was only 23% contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

“We’re battling what we can battle and waiting for those winds to subside so that we can get in there and actively engage these fires,” Steven Volmer, a fire behavior analyst at Cal Fire, said Wednesday evening. 

As the fire threatens homes and the greater Lake Tahoe area late Wednesday, President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration. The declaration, which was requested by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, offers federal assistance with the blaze. 

The progress on the western side of the fire caused officials to allow some residents from the Pollock Pines and North Camino areas to return to their homes. But the eastern side of the blaze near Lake Tahoe and Nevada was still a concern. Residents in parts of Douglas County, Nevada, were told to leave the area as the fire grew. 

The National Weather Service said low humidity and wind gusts up to 45 mph over ridgelines in the Sierra Nevada could help spark flames, but those conditions were expected to subside Thursday and Friday. 

The powerful wind gusts were allowing embers from the blaze to travel about a mile, causing new small fires to spark and spreading resources thin. At times, the gusts and conditions were allowing the fire to move at 200 feet a minute as the blaze hopped from treetop to treetop. 

Firefighters had battled the blaze amid the poor conditions 3 miles outside South Lake Tahoe, but they were aided by better-than-expected weather overnight. “We lucked out a little bit yesterday,” Cal Fire Operations Section Chief Tim Ernst said.

Crews tried desperately to keep flames away from urban communities, where houses are close together and shopping centers, hotels and other structures would provide even more fuel for a fire that has been feeding on trees, grasses and scattered homes and cabins.

“We’re still not out of the woods. The fire is still moving,” Ernst added.

The South Tahoe Public Utility District asked people to turn off hoses, irrigation systems and sprinklers to ensure that wells can pump at full capacity. That means “the minute a firefighter hooks into a hydrant that they are getting full pressure, and as much water as possible is coming out,” said Shelly Thomsen, spokeswoman for the utility.

In Nevada, evacuation centers opened to take in 22,000 South Lake Tahoe residents and scores of others from the surrounding area. As the evacuation zone expanded, shelters in Carson City and Douglas County were near or at capacity Tuesday.

Nevada casino regulators said gambling was suspended at the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe, Montbleu Resort, Harrah’s and Harvey’s Lake Tahoe, where officials said their casinos were closed to the public but their hotels were housing firefighters and displaced employees.

The fire has destroyed nearly 600 homes and more than 180 other structures, and more than 32,000 other buildings are threatened, Cal Fire said.Get the Coronavirus Watch newsletter in your inbox.

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Ernst said firefighters had opportunities overnight to slow the fire’s growth.

Along the section of the fire threatening to move closer to Nevada, Ernst said, crews created lines to protect homes and other buildings. They also put up protective lines closer to South Lake Tahoe. “This whole community is looking really good right now,” he said.

“The fire burned through there extremely fast, extremely hot. And we did the best that we could,” Cal Fire Division Chief Erich Schwab said of firefighters’ efforts to protect remote cabins in one area of the blaze.

Lake Tahoe is known for glitz. But thousands of Caldor Fire evacuees are blue collar.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 83 large fires are burning in 10 states, affecting more than 3,900 square miles. In California, 13 large fires are burning more than 2,200 square miles.

Timothy Pritchard panicked when police knocked on his door. “I had to pack what I could,” the 64-year-old retiree said.

He grabbed important legal documents, credit cards and checkbooks. He left several sentimental items, including mementos of his late girlfriend. 

“I just pray to God they’ll be there, but I had to do what I had to do,” he said. 

Pritchard, who has lived at South Lake Tahoe for 13 years, was among the first evacuees to arrive in Reno, Nevada, after being turned away from a Carson City shelter that reached maximum capacity. 

“I’m just tired and stressed right now,” he said.

‘It’s definitely not working’:Wildfires burn up trees meant to fight climate change

Tuesday, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak remained hopeful crews could keep the raging Caldor Fire from crossing the border but said the state is prepared to fight the blaze should it escape the natural bathtub created by Lake Tahoe.

Sisolak said he was pleased with the gains firefighters made in the one day since the National Guard was brought in to help battle the blaze.

“We’re using all of our resources, everything at our disposal,” Sisolak said as ash fell outside Nevada’s Emergency Operations Center in Carson City. 

Nevada Division of Forestry officials noted the Caldor Fire is only the second fire to summit the Sierra in history.https://www.usatodaynetworkservice.com/tangstatic/html/usat/sf-q1a2z3be0d353f.min.html

The other is the Dixie Fire, which started in late July and is still burning near Lassen Volcanic National Park. The second-largest in state history, the wildfire grew to 1,318 square miles as of Wednesday and was 52% contained, Cal Fire said. It prompted evacuation orders this week.

The Caldor Fire has threatened not only people’s homes and businesses but also the area’s scenic outdoor recreation activities.

Heavenly and Kirkwood – owned by Vail Resorts – were not damaged as of Tuesday afternoon, spokesperson Susan Whitman said in an email, but all employees and guests were forced to leave.

As flames moved toward Heavenly, on the California-Nevada border, officials turned on the mountain’s snowmaking machines.

The fire burned through Sierra-at-Tahoe, a resort on the west side of the Tahoe Basin near Echo Summit, but initial reports indicated the base area, lodge, administration building and gear shop were saved, according to Michael Reitzell, president of Ski California, an organization that represents resorts throughout California and Nevada.

“We know there is going to be some damage,” Reitzell said. 

Contributing: James DeHaven and Amy Alonzo, Reno Gazette Journal; The Associated PressSponsoredPeople Who Take Photos With Their Phone Need To See ThisThePhotoStick|SponsoredEvangelical doctor urges Christians to get vaccineAd Council|SponsoredStop What You’re Doing and Look at These Animal PhotosThe Dodo|SponsoredDon’t buy Progressive glasses before reading thisWe have changed the game when it comes to buying prescription eyewear and our secrets have been uncovered.GlassesUSA.com|SponsoredDue for a colonoscopy within 60 days?science37|SponsoredGetting Old Should Not Mean Losing Memory (Do This At Home) Ageless Brain|SponsoredVaccines are making COVID-19 cases less severeAd Council|SponsoredThis Patented Pillow Is Proven To Eliminate [Shoulder Pain]MedCline|SponsoredDrinking Too Much? Here’s the Secret to Cutting BackCutback Coach|SponsoredHannity: ‘I believe in the science of vaccination’Ad Council|SponsoredDeal of the DayWe Think The Tuft & Needle Original Is The Best Mattress In A Box You Can Buy—And Right Now, You Can Save 30% With Code OG30REVIEWEDView DealRecommendations are independently chosen by our editors. Purchases you make through our links may earn us a commission.RecommendedDrummers ditch hearing aid stigmas in an effort to reclaim fullest livesSTORY FROM EARGOKeep Your Prostate Great: Do This DailyProstate Health Strategies|SponsoredMontana Man Discovers He Has Oldest DNA in AmericaCRI Genetics|SponsoredMore Stories California Caldor Fire photos near Lake Tahoe show ski resort damageNEWSArea California family found dead in Sierra National Forest closedNEWSNYC subway flooding viral videos and photos show damage after IdaNEWSOld Farmer’s Almanac predicts cold 2021-2022 winter weather in USNEWSSeniors With Hearing Loss in Washington Regret Not Knowing This SoonerHearwell|SponsoredThe 100 Best Movie Quotes of the 21st CenturyThrillist|SponsoredAmerican Dog Owners: Your Best Friend Deserves Better FoodThe Farmer’s Dog|Sponsored40 Facts Fans Never Realized About “Dances With Wolves”Factable|SponsoredMore Stories Lawyer for 17 defendants in Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection cases missingNEWSTesla on part-automated drive system slams into police carMONEY401k fees: What you need to know about fees on your retirement accountMONEYOhio judge orders hospital to treat COVID patient with IvermectinNEWSabout:blankabout:blankabout:blank Unmute

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/01/opinions/texas-abortion-law-contradictions-ghits/index.html

Opinion by Frida Ghitis

Updated 9:56 PM ET, Wed September 1, 2021

Planned Parenthood CEO says Texas abortion law is ’emblematic of vigilante justice.’ Hear whyCNNNow PlayingPlanned Parenthood…Planned Parenthood CEO says Texas abortion law is ’emblematic of vigilante justice.’ Hear why 02:06

Frida Ghitis (@fridaghitis) a former CNN producer and correspondent, is a world affairs columnist. She is a CNN Contributor, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion on CNN.

(CNN)The cry of “Freedom!” echoes across the land, rising from places like Texas, controlled by Republican officials who are using every tool at their disposal to ban mask mandates or vaccine requirements. It’s curious, then, that as of Wednesday morning, the women of Texas are essentially banned from choosing to get an abortion.The same politicians who declare that mask requirements are an intolerable intrusion by government into sacrosanct individual freedom, have just imposed the country’s most restrictive abortion law since the Supreme Court made abortion legal in the landmark 1973 decision, Roe v. Wade.Frida GhitisThe Texas law, SB8, went into effect because the US Supreme Court and a federal appeals court refused to stop it, even though it stands in clear violation of the current law. Until now, the courts had allowed some restrictions, generally banning late-term abortions, those happening beyond the stage where a fetus is viable, about 24 weeks in.

Texas’s law does two things differently — deviously.

First, it bans abortions after only six weeks of pregnancy. Six weeks into gestation, few women know they are pregnant. At six weeks, a woman is late for just one period. Professionals say 85% to 90% of abortions occur after that point. Some women may seek abortions earlier, perhaps after a rape or incest. The draconian Texas law, unlike most other laws that restrict abortion, also makes it illegal for women to terminate a pregnancy that came as the result of rape or incest. The only exception is for “medical emergencies.”

The second repugnant aspect of the Texas law is its system of enforcement, redolent of the methods used by the secret police in fascist regimes. Just like, for example, East Germany’s Stasi turned neighbor against neighbor, making spies of its citizens and creating criminals out of everyday people, this law relies on snitching and on turning perfectly normal behavior into punishable offenses.The legislation dictates that any private citizen can file a lawsuit against a health care provider or any person they believe aided and abetted an abortion, and it creates a system of veritable bounties for successful civil lawsuits, with a minimum potential payout of $10,000 in damages, plus legal fees for the informants.

Doctor: Covid cases in kids are becoming more complicated. It’s time for politicians to get out of our wayTo aid and abet an abortion, someone could do as little as drive a pregnant woman to a doctor. The law could mobilize battalions of abortion “bounty hunters.”The idea is so corrosive, so poisonous, that one can see it spawning all manner of vindictive actions. Anyone can turn anyone in. Emotional and financial harassment of abortion providers is all but assured, but there’s also room for frivolous assaults driven by completely unrelated motives.As President Joe Biden noted, the law “blatantly violates” rights established decades ago, and will have a significant impact not only on women, particularly minority women.The effect begins immediately, even if the law’s long-term prospects are unclear. The Supreme Court will hear a major abortion case this fall.Anti-abortion groups are delighted, of course. One organization already set up a website for anonymous whistleblowers to start turning in anyone they suspect of breaking the law. Opponents of the law responded in kind, targeting the website with phony entries, hoping to flood it with useless material.The unique approach, making private citizens instead of the government a key element of the law, was a tactical move that experts say makes it more difficult for the courts to overturn it. But it does nothing to conceal the fact that the government in Texas is telling women what to do with their bodies.

I live in Texas and I am really angrySuch an invasive action by government into one of the most personal decisions a citizen can make is particularly jarring in the middle of a pandemic — during which many of the same people promoting this law have rejected out of hand the government’s right to interfere in their lives.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed the bill into law and is the state’s top Republican official, has issued executive orders banning any mandates related to the coronavirus. He declared his opposition to any restrictions to fight the virus. He solemnly proclaimed it’s “past the time for government mandates,” and “time for personal responsibility.”In Texas, even private businesses are banned from requiring proof of vaccination from their customers, a crass violation of free-market principles. The state has banned public school systems from requiring face masks, a direct violation of the long-standing Republican tenet advocating local control of schools and other jurisdictions. In fact, no governmental entity, no matter how small, is permitted to issue vaccine or mask mandates. Covid has killed more than 57,000 people in Texas.The governor and his GOP fans are pro-choice on masks and vaccines, and pro-life on abortion. They are for freedom and personal responsibility on masks, but against it on abortion.Curious, isn’t it?Get our free weekly newsletter

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The contradiction is revealing. There’s more than hypocrisy at work — although there is plenty of that. It is plain that Texas Republicans’ cries of “freedom” have little to do with freedom. And the devotion to “life” is not altogether about saving lives.Many opponents of abortion are sincere about their beliefs. And some opponents of Covid restrictions genuinely believe government’s power should be more limited. But in the Venn diagram, those who fall in both categories, including Abbott and the bulk of Texas GOP politicians, there is something else at play: They are playing politics with people’s lives.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/02/weather/us-western-wildfires-thursday/index.html

By Aya Elamroussi, CNN

Updated 4:14 AM ET, Thu September 2, 2021

Fire closes in on Lake Tahoe resort city 02:08

(CNN)The winds fueling the massive Caldor Fire in California may subside in the coming days, bringing the possibility of lighter fire activity after the blaze drove thousands out of their homes this week.”The issues and conditions that weather was causing, especially for the last couple of days, are going to be mitigated by much lighter winds across the fire,” Incident Meteorologist Jim Dudley said in an update Wednesday.”We’re still going to have dry conditions, humidity is going to be low, but we’re not going to have the wind tomorrow (Thursday). And getting into Friday, the winds get even lighter … across the entire fire,” Dudley added.

Coming hours are make or break for Lake Tahoe resort city, fire officials sayThe glimmer of good news comes after firefighters made some progress in taming the Caldor Fire, which had ballooned to 207,931 acres as of Wednesday evening, with containment reaching 23%, according to Cal Fire.

The fire has been burning for nearly three weeks and is threatening the tourist city of South Lake Tahoe as it marches toward Nevada’s border.

The area surrounding the fire was under a red flag warning until Wednesday night. Such a warning is issued when an area could see hazardous fire weather that could increase activity.https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2020/weather/wildfire-and-air-quality-tracker/embed.html?z=8&lnglat=-120.137833,38.786&hed=Caldor%20fire%20continues%20to%20spread%20towards%20South%20Lake%20Tahoe&i=CA&l=s&initialWidth=680&childId=fire-tracker-embed&parentTitle=Caldor%20Fire%3A%20Lighter%20winds%20could%20bring%20relief%20to%20firefighters%20trying%20to%20protect%20South%20Lake%20Tahoe%20-%20CNN&parentUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2021%2F09%2F02%2Fweather%2Fus-western-wildfires-thursday%2Findex.htmlEnter your email to sign up for CNN’s “Meanwhile in China” Newsletter.close dialog

Get the latest storm and extreme weather updates delivered straight to your inbox from CNN.Sign Me UpBy subscribing you agree to ourprivacy policy.South Lake Tahoe was spared Wednesday as the fire remained in the mountains, away from the main portion of the tourist city, “which is a very good thing,” Dave Lauchner, a spokesman for Cal Fire Team 6, told CNN.

“At this point, we’ve been able to keep it out of South Lake Tahoe,” Lauchner said. “We’re hoping to keep it up on the hill,” he added.Still, the fire remained significantly active Wednesday due to dry conditions and strong winds.”These strong winds increased fire behavior dramatically along the northern area of the fire,” Cal Fire said in an update.The flames forced the evacuation of thousands of people from South Lake Tahoe this week and pose a risk to more than 32,000 structures after destroying hundreds of homes, officials have said.

A Lake Tahoe resident played the violin as his family sat at standstill in Caldor Fire evacuation trafficThe city, normally bustling with vacationers, was a gray ghost town Tuesday, with empty parking lots, closed roads and shuttered businesses as the fire’s thick smoke hovered over the area.Overall, more than 59,000 people have been placed under evacuation orders in the state, according to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.In neighboring Nevada, evacuation warnings were also issued for Douglas County as the Caldor Fire inches toward the state’s border, according to Cal Fire.Gov. Steve Sisolak declared a state of emergency Monday in anticipation of flames crossing state lines. California Gov. Gavin Newsom also declared a state of emergency for the counties surrounding Lake Tahoe.Wednesday, the White House approved Newsom’s request for a presidential emergency declaration to receive direct federal aid for the Caldor Fire. The move will “supplement state, local and tribal government emergency services for the protection of lives, property, public health and safety,” Newsom’s office said in a news release

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighter Brentt Call walks through a burned-over area of the Bootleg Fire near Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 27.Hide Caption33 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestCal Fire Capts. Tristan Gale, left, and Derek Leong monitor a firing operation in California’s Lassen National Forest on July 26. Crews had set a ground fire to stop the Dixie Fire from spreading.Hide Caption34 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters try to reach a fire site in Quincy, California, on July 25.Hide Caption35 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestVolunteers sort clothing at a donation shelter for those affected by the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon.Hide Caption36 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestScott Griffin surveys his property, which was destroyed by the Bootleg Fire in Sycan Estates, Oregon.Hide Caption37 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFlames consume a home as the Dixie Fire tears through the Indian Falls community of Plumas County, California, on July 24.Hide Caption38 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestPeople stand behind the fire line as flames from the Steptoe Canyon Fire spread through dry grass in Colton, Washington, on July 22.Hide Caption39 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestPlumes of smoke from the Dixie Fire rise above California’s Plumas National Forest, near the Pacific Gas and Electric Rock Creek Power House, on July 21.Hide Caption40 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters walk near a wildfire in Topanga, California, on July 19.Hide Caption41 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter does mop-up work in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, which has been struggling with the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.Hide Caption42 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA car is charred by the Bootleg Fire along a mountain road near Bly, Oregon.Hide Caption43 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestNicolas Bey, 11, hugs his father, Sayyid, near a donated trailer they are using after their home was burned in the Bootleg Fire near Beatty, Oregon.Hide Caption44 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters extinguish hot spots in an area affected by the Bootleg Fire near Bly, Oregon.Hide Caption45 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA bear cub clings to a tree after being spotted by a safety officer at the Bootleg Fire in Oregon.Hide Caption46 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters work to protect Markleeville, California, from the Tamarack Fire on July 17. The Tamarack Fire was started by a lightning strike.Hide Caption47 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestThe Tamarack Fire burns in Markleeville, near the California-Nevada border, on July 17.Hide Caption48 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA member of the Northwest Incident Management Team 12 holds a map of the Chuweah Creek Fire as wildfires devastated Nespelem, Washington, on July 16.Hide Caption49 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA cloud from the Bootleg Fire drifts into the air near Bly, Oregon, on July 16.Hide Caption50 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters spray water from the Union Pacific Railroad’s fire train while battling the Dixie Fire in California’s Plumas National Forest on July 16.Hide Caption51 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestHorses climb a hillside that was burned by the Chuweah Creek Fire in eastern Washington.Hide Caption52 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFire from the Bootleg Fire illuminates smoke near Bly, Oregon, on the night of July 16.Hide Caption53 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighter battles the Bootleg Fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest, along the Oregon and California border, on July 15.Hide Caption54 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestA firefighting aircraft drops flame retardant on the Bootleg Fire in Bly, Oregon, on July 15.Hide Caption55 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters dig away at hot spots underneath stumps and brush after flames from the Snake River Complex Fire swept through the area south of Lewiston, Idaho, on July 15.Hide Caption56 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestBurned cars sit outside a home that was destroyed by the Chuweah Creek Fire in Nespelem, Washington.Hide Caption57 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestEvacuee Dee McCarley hugs her cat Bunny at a Red Cross center in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on July 14.Hide Caption58 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestAn airplane drops fire retardant on the Chuweah Creek Fire in Washington on July 14.Hide Caption59 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestOperations Section Chief Bert Thayer examines a map of the Bootleg Fire in Chiloquin, Oregon, on July 13.Hide Caption60 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFire consumes a home as the Sugar Fire, part of the Beckwourth Complex Fire, tears through Doyle, California, on July 10. It’s the second time in less than a year that the small town has been ravaged by a wildfire.Hide Caption61 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestMen hug a member of the Red Cross at a Bootleg Fire evacuation center in Klamath Falls, Oregon.Hide Caption62 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestEmbers blow across a field as the Sugar Fire burns in Doyle, California, on July 9.Hide Caption63 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestFirefighters monitor the Sugar Fire in Doyle, California, on July 9.Hide Caption64 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestIn this long-exposure photograph, taken early on July 2, flames surround a drought-stricken Shasta Lake during the Salt Fire in Lakehead, California.Hide Caption65 of 65

Photos: Wildfires raging in the WestJason Marone of the Roseville Fire Department hoses down a hot spot burning close to homes in the Christmas Valley area of Meyers, California, on Tuesday, August 31.

https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2021/09/01/wildlife-rescue-group-animals/

By Marlee GinterSeptember 1, 2021 at 1:09 amFiled Under:Caldor Fire, El Dorado County, South Lake Tahoe, wildlifejavascript:false

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE (CBS13) –  Mandatory evacuations have South Lake Tahoe looking like a ghost town just days from the long Labor Day holiday weekend which usually lures tourists.

But as people piled into their cars, animals hit the road too.  The flames frightened wildlife. forcing animals from their homes.  A CBS13 photographer spotted a bear in the Christmas Valley area running from the flames being pushed down to the valley floor.https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.478.1_en.html#goog_973038679https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.478.1_en.html#goog_1490907787https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.478.1_en.html#goog_967254823READ MORE:Caldor Fire Now Over 200K Acres; Firefighters Focused On Protecting Homes

Local wildlife rescue groups have had their hands full moving all of their animals away from the path of the flames.  Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care says it was ready.  Within just the last six months, the group used grant money to buy an animal trailer and anxiety-safe crates just in case they had to evacuate.

“We can’t believe what our eyes are showing us. That the devastation and the speed at which fire comes through and the fact that these animals are running for their lives,” said Greg Erfani, LTWC Board Member.

Erfani says in a precautionary move they evacuated the facility ahead of the evacuation order that prompted a massive traffic jam on Highway 50.READ MORE:Amador County Nonprofit In Caldor Fire Evacuation Zone Burglarized; 6 Chainsaws Taken

“We were as everybody when we started seeing these fires getting closer and closer there was this panic, you know what are we going to do with all these animals,” Erfani told CBS13. “It was difficult because these are wild animals and our goal is to keep these animals wild. They don’t like human interaction.”

The center was basically able to piecemeal off all the animals to smaller sister organizations like the Gold Country Wildlife Rescue and the California Raptor Center. Their many ambassador animals like Porky the porcupine are now all safe with their handlers.

“They’re all in great hands and they’re protected and now our staff and our volunteers can go and take care of their own homes that are in danger. So animals came first for us,” said Erfani.

Many want to help, but the staff and animals have been forced out of their facility.  They actually can’t take any physical items or food, but they do need financial support.  You can donate on the Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care website.MORE NEWS:Sprinklers Left On At Lake Tahoe Homes Hampering Firefighting Efforts

Vaccination Can Stem the Rise of New Variants. Time to Double Down.

BYWilliam Rivers Pitt, TruthoutPUBLISHEDAugust 31, 2021SHAREShare via FacebookShare via TwitterShare via Email

READING LISTPOLITICS & ELECTIONSChristian Right Pushes State-Level Policies to Erode Church-State SeparationENVIRONMENT & HEALTHVaccination Can Stem the Rise of New Variants. Time to Double Down.POLITICS & ELECTIONSCould the Taliban Takeover Become a Wedge Issue for the Far Right?ECONOMY & LABOR750,000 Households May Face Eviction If Congress Doesn’t Act, Says Goldman SachsEDUCATION & YOUTHFL Imposes Penalties on School Districts With Mask Rules, Despite Court RulingPRISONS & POLICINGThe Court Knew She Didn’t Commit the Murder. They Sentenced Her for It Anyway.

As we enter a new school year with students actually in the building, as autumn looms a few scant weeks away, and as the Delta variant of COVID-19 leaves us guessing as to what comes next in this long, lethal slog, “uncertainty” is the watchword of the day. A number of positive indicators are running into the teeth of a seemingly ceaseless tide of bad news, and as ever, the acolytes of Trump continue to kill their supporters through disinformation.

When discussing the climate crisis, we speak often of the dangers of “feedback loops” — factors feeding into factors that accelerate the process. The spread of COVID has been no different: A segment of the population either refuses to take the threat seriously or has limited access to the vaccine, the virus ravages that segment, and out of that sickened segment emerge variants like Delta. As a segment of the population continues to dismiss the threat or fails to have vaccine access, the variant hits harder than before, and the increased number of infected people become incubators for an even more dangerous variant. This fits the definition of a feedback loop.

Underscoring this is the emergence from South Africa of a new COVID variant, this one designated as C.1.2. As yet officially unnamed, this new variant has been found in China, New Zealand, Switzerland, Portugal, Mauritius, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DAR) and England. As we have learned, COVID gives not a damn about borders, and the fact of its existence overseas means it could very easily be here in the U.S. already. Delta came from India, remember.

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The South African scientists studying C.1.2 noted that it has “concerning constellations of mutations.” They went on to warn, “While these mutations are not characteristic of current VOCs/VOIs, they have been associated with escape from certain class 3 neutralizing antibodies. The combination of these mutations presents a potentially novel antigenic landscape for C.1.2 variant specific antibodies.”

The science-to-English translation of this is stark: C.1.2 may be capable of evading to one degree or another the protections provided by our vaccines. Delta has caused more “breakthrough” infections of vaccinated people because its viral load is approximately 1,200 times that of the original virus, and because the vaccines do not provide 100 percent protection from infection.

How exactly are variants created? “According to the scientists,” reports Joseph Choi of The Hill, “these mutations likely occurred in a single individual who had a prolonged case of COVID-19, resulting in an accelerated evolution.”

This is vital: The vaccines may not be bulletproof, but they are almost completely effective at preventing people from becoming severely ill from COVID. If a person avoids becoming severely ill from COVID for a protracted amount of time, they deprive the virus of what is necessary for them to evolve into a new variant.The vaccines may not be bulletproof, but they are almost completely effective at preventing people from becoming severely ill from COVID.

Of all the reasons to get vaccinated, even if a booster is required later, this is one of the best I’ve heard. Though we remain in a terrifying fog regarding what is to come, and even as tens of thousands of new infections are happening daily due to vaccine resistance, there can be no denying that we have made huge strides since last winter. This is almost entirely due to an increasingly vaccinated public.

All of this can be undone by a variant with the ability to evade vaccination. And the way to stop this is by way of vaccination; people who worry about being a petri dish for Big Pharma should worry more about becoming an unvaccinated petri dish for COVID. The longer you are sick, the more likely a new variant emergence becomes. I don’t imagine even the most stalwart pro-Trump MAGA shouter aspires to wake up as Typhoid Mary one day. Skip the shots, and that’s what you’re gambling with.

It appears the issue is trending in a positive direction. The latest surveys reveal a steep decline in the number of people refusing to get the vaccine. A number of factors appear to be causing this: The FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine, workplace vaccination mandates and the beginning of the school year. (Children under 12 now make up the largest group of unvaccinated people in the country, and unfortunately, the solution to that remains months away.)

My favorite part of this survey, according to Axios: “The share of Americans who say they feel hopeful right now has plummeted to 34 percent, from 48 percent in March — but those saying they feel motivated, energized, inspired or resilient has risen by at least as much. That suggests that, rather than giving up, these Americans are reassessing their expectations about how quick a fix the first generation of vaccines alone can be — and resolving to do what it takes over the long haul.”

In other words: Stout hearts. May it be so. Get the shots if you can, please, and break the feedback loop.