Calif. Fire Reaches Cat Status

The wildfire that has consumed 260 homes and outbuildings in the Lake Tahoe, Calif., region will create insurance losses that meet an industry definition of a catastrophe, a modeling firm said.

Based on initial reports of structure and home loss, it is anticipated that insured losses could exceed $25 million, said Boston-based AIR Worldwide Corp. At that level the fire meets the definition of catastrophe used by Property Claims Services, a subsidiary of the Jersey City, N.J.-based the Insurance Services Office Inc.

AIR said the fire is likely to become the first PCS-declared wildfire catastrophe since the Cedar and Old fires that hit California in October-November of 2003.

At mid-day, U.S. Forest Service said in addition to the buildings destroyed the blaze had chewed through 2,730 acres and was 40 percent contained.

Referred to as the "Angora Fire," the conflagration is not expected to be under control until Sunday, said Forest Service spokesperson Laurel Owen.

Ms. Owen said there are 54 crews and well over 1,800 personnel fighting the flames using 145 engines, 12 helicopters and 14 water tenders.

The area south of the lake has been evacuated, but highways are open, she said. There was some cooling today and lighter winds, but "expect extreme fire activity tomorrow," she said.

Crews have set backfire burnouts in north and northeast areas to protect endangered structures. At last count 185 homes and 75 outbuildings had gone up in smoke, she reported.

The fire began Sunday afternoon and by nightfall flames came within a quarter mile of the 1,500-student South Tahoe High School. Hundreds of homes were evacuated in Meyers, a few miles to the south. So far, no injuries have been reported.

The cause of the fire is believed to be human activity, according to AIR.

Apparently started south of Fallen Leaf Lake, the fire is in a region of mixed fuels that includes light brush, light conifers and possibly some hardwood trees, AIR said.

Today, the fire overran the mixed medium and heavy conifer tree stand along the east coast of Fallen Leaf Lake. In doing so, it was transformed from a somewhat conventional "brushfire" to a full-fledged "forest fire," AIR said.

The company made note of crowning. It was explained that when a forest fire crowns, flames have made their way up to the tops of the tree stands. They ignite neighboring treetops in a fast-moving and extremely difficult-to-contain chain reaction.

In addition to this fire, which continues to burn, there have been several other blazes in the region since mid-May.

Fire restrictions have been in effect in the Tahoe National Forest since June 11, following an unusually dry winter. The annual May 1 snow survey found snow covering to be at its lowest since 1988.