PHOTO: Friday, June 24th marks 15 years since the devastating Angora Fire. It was the most destructive fire in the history of the Tahoe Basin, burning 31-hundred acres and destroying 254 homes.
It started because of an illegal campfire. Wind, dry fuels, and drought turned it into a huge challenge for firefighters.
“We had a couple years of drought prior to 07',” said Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Fire Chief Scott Lindgren. “It was a hot, dry, windy day when the Angora started. Once it took off, it ran all the way to the lake. If the lake wasn’t there, it probably wouldn’t have stopped. Just a very devastating fire.”
Since then, firefighters in Tahoe have been working to remove dangerous vegetation and create more fire lines. “