Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

California's Mosquito Fire destroys 46 structures before pushing deeper into forested areas, sending smoke into Nevada

California's Mosquito Fire destroys 46 structures before pushing deeper into forested areas, sending smoke into Nevada

Burning intensely and choking the air with smoke, California’s raging Mosquito Fire has destroyed 46 structures and continues its unrelenting spread through dry forests in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The blaze – the largest currently burning in California – began amid extreme heat September 6 and has grown to about 50,000 acres in El Dorado and Placer counties with only 18% containment as of Tuesday morning, according to Cal Fire.

Flames advanced on mountain communities as the fire grew, destroying more than two-dozen homes and 21 other buildings, according to fire officials. More than 11,200 people have had to flee their homes and 5,800 structures were still threatened Tuesday as the firefight continued.

As the sun rose Monday, the damage was visible along Michigan Bluff Road, where the fire had torched cars, buildings and trees, leaving charred remains as it continued to tear through the landscape, video from CNN affiliate KOVR/KMAX showed.

The fire on Monday night was pushing deeper into dense forested areas, where authorities were expecting an uptick in fire behavior amid “historically dry fuels” in the area, Cal Fire fire behavior analyst Jonathan Pangburn said in a Monday evening briefing.

Crews took advantage of cooler temperatures and higher humidity settling over the fire area on Monday, but there was still no containment on the northeast side of the fire, officials said.

The Mosquito Fire is among numerous blazes currently burning in Western states, blanketing the skies with smoke and spurring air quality alerts across much of California, Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

Smoke from the Mosquito Fire advanced across state lines into Nevada, where a time-lapse video posted by the National Weather Service in Reno, showed a wall of smoke crashing into the state Sunday. The smoke created unhealthy to hazardous air quality in the region and was expected to linger in the Tahoe Basin and Reno area through Monday, the weather service said.


Placer County health authorities warned residents about elevated levels of particulate matter in the air, which can be inhaled deep into the lungs and seep into the bloodstream.

Wildfire smoke can hurt the eyes, irritate the respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The smoke can be particularly dangerous for children, people with heart or lung disease, older adults and pregnant people.

A view shows the Mosquito Fire burning in Foresthill, California, Sunday.


Numerous wildfires ravage parched lands in the West


Crews in the Sierra Nevada mountains were among several engaged in grueling firefights against raging wildfires this week.

Nationwide, 93 active large wildland fires have torched about 850,000 acres in several western states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.

Widespread high temperatures in the West – coupled with low humidity and spurts of lightning strikes – continue to exacerbate wildfire conditions, fire center officials said.

Drought-stricken Western states are home to large swaths of dry brush that can transform into fuel for infernos, particularly in mountain communities.

In California, crews were battling 12 different wildfires. One of them, the Fairview Fire in Riverside County, had scorched 28,307 acres by Tuesday after sparking a week prior. Crews, aided by lingering tropical moisture and cooler temperatures, managed to up containment of the blaze to 62%.

To the north, firefighters also appeared to be getting a better handle on the Mountain Fire, which was 65% contained at 13,359 acres Tuesday.

In Oregon, the lightning-sparked Cedar Creek Fire has quadrupled in size since last week, burning about 93,000 acres. As of Tuesday, it was still burning uncontrollably with 0% containment.

In Idaho, the Moose Fire was 127,500 acres with 37% containment, according to Inciweb, a clearinghouse for US fire information. Firefighting efforts were hampered by grounded helicopters for much of Monday as smoke and haze limited visibility, creating unsafe flying conditions, fire officials said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
×