Advertisement King Fire: 1,600+ homes threatened, Hwy 50 closed Pollock Pines-area blaze has been burning in El Dorado County since Saturday Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Highway 50 is closed in both directions between Sly Park Road and Fresh Pond in El Dorado County on Tuesday night due to the massive fire that started several days ago near Pollock Pines.Get live updates on the King Fire from KCRA 3's reporters | Watch report: King Fire threatens several small El Dorado County townsNo alternate traffic routes are posted, according to Caltrans, the state's transportation department.Despite news from the California Highway Patrol earlier Tuesday night indicating the fire had jumped Highway 50, a strike team at the scene contacted KCRA 3 and said that wasn't the case. Crews are working their hardest to ensure that doesn't happen.The CHP has since issued a correction.It was a quick exodus from Swansboro earlier Tuesday, with 736 homes in the community just north of Placerville under mandatory evacuation orders.About 900 more El Dorado County houses are in danger as the so-called King Fire moves closer, filling the Northern California sky with flames and smoke. "Basically, we got a knock on the door saying we had to evacuate," said Brian Hatchett as he left Swansboro.Many residents fled with horses and other pets in tow. Photos: Must-see photos of Pollock Pines fire | Upload your photos to u localCory Bitner got the evacuation orders and quickly loaded up his Akita and Husky in the back of his pickup truck."We're just trying to get everything off the hill -- family, friends everybody trying to get out of here," he told KCRA 3, en route to stay with family in Placerville.Scott Weeks, another Swansboro evacuee, said, "I have some rabbits and I have a little baby chicken in there.""We have a horse back there and three cats," Gary Dubie said.In a hurry to evacuate from the town of Swansboro, some residents weren't sure where to go."I've got two dogs, a wife who's ill, and even though I used to work with the fire department, I'm not going to burden them with that, so I'm leaving," evacuee Fred Hall told KCRA 3.Hall didn't know what was next." down to Placerville, obviously, and from that point on, I have no idea," he said.The evacuation orders are strictly enforced by deputies and police.The CHP was stationed at Rock Creek Road to protect evacuees and their property."I've been trying to keep people who are lookie-loos, and don't live down here " CHP Officer Robert Nevins said. "If they are not going to get their perishables, their livestock, their animals and so forth, I've been diverting them back out."Hundreds of anxious residents have abandoned their houses, not knowing when they'll be able to return."Our primary concern is to keep people safe," said Michelle Eidam, a Sacramento Metro Fire captain involved in the multi-agency command post. "We want to put this fire out. We want to protect homes, but people are the number one priority always."On Wednesday, there are plans to propose to Gov. Jerry Brown, asking for a state of emergency for El Dorado County.People in the community of Mosquito were told to evacuate Tuesday, as well.Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for the following: Union Valley Reservoir area, Yellow Jacket Campground, Wolf Creek Campground, Stumpy Meadows Campground, Fashoda Campground, Big Hill Lookout Road, Big Hill Road, Blodgett Forest Road, Bridle Path Way, Forest Road, Frontier Road, Helix Flat Ave, Icehouse Road (the west side), Jones Fork Power House Road, Middle Loop Road, Mosquito Road, Onion Valley Road, Outer Limits Lane, Little Silver Road, Loop Road, Peavine Point Road, Peavine Ridge Road, Plum Creek Road, Piolet Creek Road, Robbs Peak Road, Sand Mountain Road, SMUDEA, Spring Road, Sunset Drive, Tricometric Trail, Wentworth Springs (south side, east of Pilot Creek Road), 11 Pines Road.Also: The community of Swansboro north of the south fork of the American River between Brushy Creek and Rock Creek; the east side of Forebay Road from King of the Mountain Road to Pony Express Trail; all roads north of Pony Express Trail from Forebay Road east through Bullion Bend; White Meadows Road and Spring Valley Road.Voluntary evacuation advisories are in place for the following: The east side of Sly Park Road between Highway 50 and Park Creek Road extending east to Fresh Pond and west of Forebay Road from Blair Road to Pony Express Trail; Badger Hill Road, Marmot Road, Lucky Mine Road, Old Blair Mill Road, Apple Creek Court, Applemont Ranch, Chickaree Lane, Longs Creek, Quick Silver Road, Quick Silver Court and Baltimore Road.An evacuation center has been set up at the Camino Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 3520 Carson Road in Camino.A community meeting was held at the church starting at 7:30 p.m.At last check, the fire had expanded to 12,780 acres, the state fire department said. The blaze is threatening about 1,600 homes in total (1,632), according to Cal Fire and the U.S. Fire Service.That breaks down to 736 mandatory evacuations and 896 voluntary evacuations.Firefighters continue to reinforce containment lines and keep control over the flames on the south side of the American River Canyon.Crews are also focusing on the north side of the canyon as air drops continue in the region. The north side is a focal point because of its proximity to homes.So far, no homes have been destroyed.Cal Fire said that's due in large part to the fact that homeowners in the area created defensible space, clearing brush, timber and other flammables away from their houses.The blaze started in a remote area Saturday but rapidly grew on Sunday when it reached a canyon full of thick, dry brush. It has blackened 4.7 square miles and is 5 percent contained.The Pollock Pines Elementary School District, which was closed Monday and Tuesday, will remain shut down Wednesday, district officials said.That means it'll be another day without school for Pinewood Elementary School and Sierra Ridge Middle School students.“While the initial recommendation and advice to the Pollock Pines School District was to reopen for school tomorrow, based on the current changing fire behavior that has happened this afternoon, both the Office of Emergency Services and the King Fire Incident Command have now strongly recommended that the schools in Pollock Pines not reopen tomorrow," Sgt. Jim Beyers said. "The situation will be reevaluated tomorrow afternoon."The public can call 530-642-7263 for the latest information and response on the King Fire.More than 1,500 firefighters are working to contain the blaze. A cause is unknown at this point.The following roads are currently closed: Forebay Road at Blair Road and at Forebay Road at Pony Express Trail; White Meadows Road at Ice House Road. Highway 50 east of Pollock Pines may be subject to delays or lane closures in the fire area. KCRA 3's Kathy Park and Michelle Schultz contributed to this report.--Inside KCRA.com:Photos from the fire lines: Crews battle King FireRacing wildfire in Weed engulfs 150 structuresShocking photos show destruction caused by Weed fireWoman in path of Boles Fire lost almost everythingWeed fire: 'At the peak, the entire town was evacuated'