Cold weather helps fight fire

Evacuation orders were lifted Monday as firefighters gained on a wild land blaze in the eastern Sierra, officials said.

Temperatures near freezing Sunday night helped chill the blaze that broke out earlier in the day in Alpine County’s scenic Hope Valley, south of Lake Tahoe, near the junction of California 88 and 89.

Firefighters reported some of their smaller water hoses froze because of the plunging temperature, fire spokesman Mark Struble said.

The cause of the Burnside fire remained under investigation.

There was no lightning in the area when the fire broke out, officials said.

Fueled by gusty wind, the fire quickly spread through heavy timber and brush.

Sorenson’s Resort, Hope Valley Resort, two campgrounds and about 20 homes in the area were told to evacuate Sunday.

The order was lifted Monday afternoon after fire danger subsided, Struble said.

“We had a very favorable wind shift that blew the fire back on itself,” he said.

The fire burned 150 acres and was 30% contained Monday, Struble said.