EL DORADO COUNTY—Evacuation warnings for the Coyote Fire have been lifted as firefighters continue to strengthen control lines around the blaze in rural El Dorado County. The fire, burning near Somerset, is now holding at 624 acres and has reached 27 percent containment, according to Cal Fire.
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office announced the update, noting that the current fire footprint is within private lands. Access to those areas is restricted and requires permission from property owners. Officials are cautioning the public to use care when traveling nearby, as fire suppression operations and emergency vehicles will remain active.
Containment has improved significantly over the past 24 hours. On Thursday morning, Cal Fire reported just 5 percent containment. Crews have since made strong progress with the help of aerial support and ground resources, boosting the containment level to 27 percent as of Thursday afternoon.
The fire began shortly after 2 p.m. Wednesday near Cedar Creek Road and Coyoteville Lane in the Somerset area, about 15 miles southeast of Placerville. It quickly spread through dry fuels and heavy timber, sending thick columns of smoke into the air that were visible from neighboring communities and wildfire cameras. Fire behavior included torching trees and spotting beyond control lines, prompting evacuation warnings for the Omo and Somerset zones.
Air and ground resources moved in immediately. Multiple dozers, strike teams, and aircraft responded within minutes of ignition. During the first night, two helicopters capable of night operations conducted water drops on the southern flank while ground crews engaged a spot fire on the southeast edge. Inside the perimeter, officials reported a 50- to 60-acre pocket of heavy timber that continued to burn, requiring additional containment work.
By Thursday morning, six air tankers, six helicopters, and an air attack platform were ordered to strengthen lines and support ground crews. That expanded aerial assault, combined with the ongoing work of firefighters on the ground through Friday and Saturday, has helped hold the fire to its current footprint and increase containment.
No injuries or structure losses have been reported. Authorities continue to stress that while evacuation warnings have been lifted, smoke and flare-ups may still be visible, and crews will remain in the area conducting mop-up and patrol operations.
For the latest perimeter mapping and updates, the public can visit perimetermap.com.
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