POLLOCK PINES-
Many homes are still being threatened in Pollock Pines tonight. Those who live there are doing what they can to stay up to date on the latest information coming from CAL FIRE.
From all over Pollock Pines people have gathered to watch firefighters battle the King Fire from afar.
“We sleep with our windows open at night,” said local resident Jeff Wakefield. “I woke up and smelled the smoke and immediately got out of bed.”
Christina and Jeff Wakefield came to the Safeway parking lot in Pollock Pines to hear the latest news on the fire. They say the community is really pulling together.
“Somebody helped me with my horses and people are there with horse trailers,” said Christina Wakefield. “You know sheltering people and bringing food to the evacuation center. This is a great community to live in.”
Steve Garcia and his son Sam have made it their hobby to listen to fire crews’ progress on their ham radios.
“When we hear a situation like this start to take off, everyone turns on their radios,” said Steve Garcia. “We try to get up to date rather than hearsay.”
El Dorado County sheriff deputies also started warning homeowners on the other side of Highway 50 that the fire could jump the road.
The fire also burned toward Fresh Pond, east of Pollock Pines, and that prompted crews to cut fire lanes around the homes in the area.
Meanwhile as a precaution Cal Trans and Highway Patrol shut down one westbound lane of Highway 50, in part to discourage people from stopping along the shoulder to take pictures in what could quickly become a dangerous area.
Back in Pollock Pines, the Wakefields are still preparing for the worst, deciding what and who they’ll take with them if they’re evacuated on a moment’s notice.
“We talked about it over the years. Probably just put on our backpacks and grab our dogs,” Christina said.
So far Caltrans tells FOX40 the fire has not closed down Highway 50, but at one point it did get within 100 yards from the road.
