Evacuation Alerts Issued as Floriston Fire Closes Interstate 80 in California
A wildfire dubbed the Floriston Fire has prompted officials in California to issue evacuation warnings. The blaze has led to the closure of westbound Interstate 80, a key route near the state line, affecting traffic north of Lake Tahoe.
The fire was initially reported at approximately 10 a.m. and has since expanded to cover around 297 acres by 2 p.m.
According to an update from the California Highway Patrol on social media, “Fire personnel are actively working to contain the fire. Motorists should avoid the area, expect significant delays, and allow emergency personnel room to work safely.”
The Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD) has indicated that the town of Truckee is not currently at risk. However, they caution that if Nevada energy utilities decide to shut down power for safety reasons, residents may experience outages without prior warning.
TDPUD advised, “We recommend customers take precautions now to charge devices and prepare for the possibility of an outage,” as posted on their Facebook page.
The origin of the fire is still being investigated. Floriston is situated about 20 miles southwest of Reno and 20 miles north of Lake Tahoe.
