Caldor Fire (2021)
El Dorado County (near Lake Tahoe), California · Aug 14, 2021 – Oct 21, 2021
Acres burned
221,835
Lives lost
0
Structures destroyed
1,003
Year
2021
What happened
The Caldor Fire became one of the few fires to burn from one side of the Sierra Nevada crest to the other, forcing the unprecedented evacuation of South Lake Tahoe in 2021.
Cause
Under investigation
Location
El Dorado County (near Lake Tahoe), California
Key facts
- ▪Crossed the Sierra Nevada crest
- ▪Forced evacuation of all of South Lake Tahoe
- ▪Destroyed the community of Grizzly Flats
- ▪Over 200,000 acres
Replay the Caldor Fire in the spread simulator
This centers the wildfire-spread simulator on the Caldor Fire’s documented ignition point and replays its conditions on 2021-08-14 — the day’s strongest wind, temperature, and humidity from the open-meteo historical archive (which set the fire-day fuel moisture) — run through the same Rothermel surface-fire model used across FireRisk. Press ▶ Simulate to watch how fire tends to move under those conditions.
⚠️ Educational reconstruction — not the real fire perimeter
This is a simplified model of how fire spreads under the 2021 conditions, not the Caldor Fire’s actual burned area, official progression, or a prediction of any current fire. It cannot account for real fuels, suppression, spotting, or how conditions changed hour to hour. For real-time fire information always follow Watch Duty, official agencies, and local authorities — and call 911 in an emergency.
Loading the 2021 fire-day conditions…
Reminder: an educational reconstruction of fire spread under the 2021 conditions — not the Caldor Fire’s actual perimeter, an official record, or a forecast. Modeled spread, direction, and timing are illustrative only. Never rely on it for any safety decision.
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Caldor Fire FAQ
When was the Caldor Fire and where did it burn?
The Caldor Fire started Aug 14, 2021 in El Dorado County (near Lake Tahoe), California, and was contained Oct 21, 2021.
How many acres did the Caldor Fire burn?
The Caldor Fire burned approximately 221,835 acres.
How many people died in the Caldor Fire?
Approximately 0 people died in the Caldor Fire.
What caused the Caldor Fire?
Under investigation.
Figures are approximate and compiled from official agency reporting; totals for recent fires may still be revised. FireRisk.ai is an independent wildfire-risk service.