Amanda Fehd, Associated Press
from Redding.com

MEYERS, Calif. - A fresh plume of black smoke billowed over Lake Tahoe Tuesday and a new round of mandatory evacuations began as firefighters suffered a setback in their efforts to tame a raging wildfire that had already destroyed some 200 homes near the scenic alpine lake.

Firefighters were working to protect the Tallac Village development in South Lake Tahoe when the blaze jumped their fireline, prompting the evacuation of the entire subdivision. It was unclear how many homes were subject to the order.

“It’s a fairly populated area,” said Tim Evans, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. “That certainly is not good news for our firefighting efforts here.”

The flare-up happened in an area where firefighters set a backfire as part of their efforts to keep the main blaze from reaching more houses and Lake Tahoe itself, said Tim Efird, another Forest Service spokesman.

When the wind picked up unexpectedly, embers from the burn area crossed the fireline, with some sparking spot fires on the other side of the road closest to the lake, Efird said. He stressed that firefighters so far had been able to put out the fires that crossed the road, but that the breach had made for a stressful afternoon.

“We are not out of the woods,” Efird said.

Authorities also issued a voluntary evacuation order for a pricey waterfront subdivision on the lake, according to Evans.

Earlier in the day, authorities said the danger to homes had diminished overnight as dying winds gave firefighters a badly needed leg up on the inferno. But it was still burning throughout the day along rugged, uninhabited slopes and authorities cautioned that strong winds forecast to arrive in the area could fan the flames. A gusty breeze began to kick up Tuesday afternoon.

read more at Redding.com