Caldor Fire Damage Impacts Reopening Of Highways 50, 89

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE (CBS13) — As the flames from the Caldor Fire statesman to simmer and families instrumentality to Grizzly Flats, the cleanup connected the routes to get others location is conscionable beginning.

Just past week, Highway 50 was engulfed successful occurrence connected some sides of the roadways. Caltrans said due to the fact that of the way of the occurrence and the grade of the damage, the flames person caused unsafe driving conditions.

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“Safety of lives that is critical, we privation to marque definite it is harmless to travel,” explained Caltrans spokesperson, Gilber Mohtes-Chan.

On Wednesday, breached barriers, downed trees and logs were dispersed retired passim the 33-mile closure. CBS13 asked Caltrans however agelong it volition instrumentality to repair the roads, Mohtes-Chan explained it’s excessively aboriginal successful their assessments to determine.

“It’s important that we don’t unreserved into these things due to the fact that 1 beingness is excessively precious to person idiosyncratic either injured oregon severely injured by an accident,” helium explained.

Caltrans crews were moving to inspect Highway 50 betwixt Ice House Road and Sawmill Road successful Meyers. About 23 miles of Highway 89 betwixt Meyers successful El Dorado County are besides inactive blocked disconnected to traffic.

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“We are moving diligently cognize to bash the enactment that we tin and erstwhile it is harmless to participate immoderate areas we volition determination guardant with that,” said Mohtes-Chan

A erstwhile road blistery spot is present successful request of repair with nary timeline connected conscionable however agelong it volition instrumentality earlier it’s harmless to thrust again.

“It’s truly excessively aboriginal to say. They are inactive warring the fire, truthful we truly can’t accidental however long,” helium said.

A geologist is expected to commencement assessments Thursday connected the stableness of the slopes on some highways.

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Caltrans explained their semipermanent goals could instrumentality months aft reopening the roadway to complete. Short-term goals see finishing the assessments and moving with some Cal Fire and the California Highway Patrol to find however and erstwhile to safely reopen the highways.

Velena Jones