Wildfire erupts near Truckee, shuts down westbound I-80

Westbound Interstate 80 is closed at the Nevada state line due to a fast-moving fire that started on Wednesday at around 10 a.m. in the Truckee River Canyon.

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The Floriston Fire is burning near Interstate 80 and Floriston, a small, unincorporated community northeast of Truckee, according to Cal Fire. The flames are threatening Interstate 80 and the Truckee River watershed. Winds are driving the flames. The National Weather Service called for wind gusts as high as 20 mph in Truckee on Wednesday. Cal Fire reported the fire had burned 20 acres shortly after 11 a.m., but with a “dangerous rate of spread,” it could grow to 200 acres. An hour later, the agency said the fire had now burned 297 acres. 

“Fire is wind driven pushing east on western side of the highway and long-range spotting has been reported,” CalFire wrote on the incident page. 

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation warning along the Interstate 80 corridor and moving north, including Boca Reservoir. Truckee area neighborhoods Hirschdale, Glenshire and Prosser are close to the evacuation warning zone but not currently included.

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Video posted by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office shows a plume of smoke rising into the sky as flames climb up the steep embankment that rises on the western side of Interstate 80.

CHP in Truckee said on Facebook there is no estimated time of reopening westbound lanes on I-80.

This breaking news story has been updated.