Caldor Fire Operations Team: 'We Are Not Out Of The Woods Yet'

EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) — Smoky skies from the Caldor Fire blanketed the Tahoe basin, showing signs of the road ahead.

"We definitely have a lot of concerns still left, we are not out of the woods yet," explained Caldor Fire operations spokesperson Lisa Cox.

A break in the winds and lower temperatures Thursday allowed fire crews to make a direct attack. Cox hopes humidity helps the firefight.

"Below that inversion layer- we do get good humidity recovery that allows firefighters to do a lot of work in the middle of the night," she explained.

Heavenly Ski Resort is normally a popular destination for travelers in the winter. The site has now become the latest headquarters for emergency services. Dozens of trailers and tents are set up throughout the parking lot for crews. It's also a spot where crews will sleep overnight.

"The purpose of that is to order more resources and get them to the field as quickly as possible," said Cox.

Crews set backfire burns in Christmas Valley in an effort to slow the flames south on Highway 89 and away from neighborhoods.

"I wouldn't expect evacuations to change anytime soon. There is still very active fire threat in this area and a lot of fuel," explained Cox.

Helicopters made water and retardant drops throughout Thursday night, in hopes to gain traction overnight. Crews biggest worry into the weekend is active spot fires already threatening containment lines.

"It's spotting about a half-mile ahead of itself or less. That means we can't really put fires ahead of that flame front, especially during night operations," she said.