Actual speeds are not guaranteed. It's another tense day. In northern california as firefighters struggled to keep the massive kaldor fire from reaching the biggest city on the shore of iconic lake. Tahoe they caught a break. When wins yesterday were not as strong as expected but forecasters are warning. That strong winds are likely well into this evening. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated and the fire has now burned some two hundred thousand acres. Npr's eric westervelt has the latest from south. Lake tahoe fix smoke and ash. Of enveloped the eerily empty resort area of south lake. Tahoe which is usually bustling. This time of year with summer tourists on the outskirts of the city exhausted fire crews in the christmas valley area. A really the last line of defense protecting south lake tahoe. Its number over there. And then it's burning there. That way towards taller behind pretty close in a forested area adjacent to cabins and homes. Firefighter steve barnum and a wildfire strikeforce from southern california are scrambling to stamp out spot. Fires these are the dreaded wind blown embers that ignite many fires that can easily grow into new blazes. Bardem is working to contain one. That almost got out of control and it was pretty pretty Pie their thirteen. Fourteen foot flame lakes. And then you get the ember cast off it and it gets grass finding gig on and it goes over the houses. And that's memorial. They're worried about sparks catching the drought-stricken brush and dry pine needles surrounding the homes. Right across the road that can turn this forest fire into a battle to save homes and neighborhoods most of these forests and the tahoe basin have not burned since the nineteen forties. The spot fires are tackling are not mere nuisances. They're really the biggest threat to south lake. Tahoe right now says firefighter jesse alexander because they can overrun control lines and wreak havoc on any well-planned containment strategy and you have a spot fire basically your plan