King Fire Over 90,000 Acres

Pollock Pines, CA — High winds remain a concern for firefighters battling the King Fire east of Sacramento.

As of this morning, the fire is estimated to be over 92,000 acres and it is 38% contained. Because of high winds, nearly 2,000 firefighters were brought in yesterday as reinforcements, bringing the total to around 7,400. Several firefighters from the Tuolumne-Calaveras area are assisting.

Winds today are expected to be around 15-35 mph, according to a CAL Fire spokesperson.

12 homes have been destroyed and 56 outbuildings.

Those initially evacuated in the White Meadows area, near Pollock Pines, were allowed to return Tuesday, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

About 2,700 people remain under evacuation orders. The Associated Press reports the fire also threatens a key University of California, Berkeley, research station that is home to scores of experiments on trees, plants and other wildlife.