These Northern California recreation areas and roads are closed as Mosquito Fire rages

Outdoor enthusiasts and Northern California travelers should avoid certain national and state land as the region continues to fight the Mosquito Fire burning in the Tahoe National Forest.

The blaze began Tuesday evening near the Placer County community of Foresthill and has since grown to nearly 50,000, as of Tuesday morning.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Georgetown, Volcanoville and Bottle Hill were ordered to “immediately evacuate” Thursday afternoon as the Mosquito Fire jumped the Middle Fork of the American River and pushed into El Dorado County.

Here’s what you need to know about the roads, highways and recreation areas impacted by the Mosquito Fire:

What did the Mosquito Fire shutdown?

A large portion of the Tahoe National Forest will be closed to the public until at least Dec. 31, the U.S. Forest Service wrote on its website.

The Mosquito Fire early closure boundaries mimicked a large circle, starting at the intersection of the Mosquito Ridge Road and Tahoe National Forest. Since the boundaries were shared last week, the fire jumped the Middle Fork of the American River and has grown tens of thousands of acres.

TRAIL CLOSURES

Trails closed by the fire, according to previous Bee reporting, include the French Meadows Reservoir near the Middle Fork American River, the Western States Trail near Foresthill and the Pacific Crest Trail near Lake Tahoe.

The Rubicon Trail in El Dorado County is also closed.

Those who cross into the boundaries of the Mosquito Fire closure could land jail time or a fine of at least $5,000, the U.S. Forest service wrote on its website.

STATE CLOSURES

The entire Auburn State Recreation Area is closed “until further notice,” according to the state website. The park is south of Interstate 80, stretching from Auburn to Colfax along the American River.

Friday morning air quality in Auburn reached hazardous levels, with an AQI of 420 due to particulate matter.

Campers with reservations will be refunded.

The Folsom Lake State Recreation Area also closed parts of its park due to the Mosquito Fire. The Peninsula Campground and day-use area is closed “until further notice.” Air quality near Folsom, as Friday morning, was unhealthy, according to Sacramento Region Spare the Air.

Campers with reservation will be refunded.

ROAD CLOSURES

Several California roads have also been closed due to the fast-growing blaze.

Placer County road closures can be found on the county’s ArcGIS map online.

“Please do not try to circumvent road closures,” CalTrans wrote in a Twitter post. “These are implemented for your safety and permit emergency personnel to focus on fire suppression and the safety of residents”

A list of road closures in El Dorado County can be found on the county website.

This story was originally published September 9, 2022 at 11:57 AM with the headline "These Northern California recreation areas and roads are closed as Mosquito Fire rages."