Chaos as wildfire forces evacuation of Lake Tahoe tourist area

Thousands of people have been given orders to leave their homes in California’s South Lake Tahoe as the giant Caldor Fire approaches the tourist town, prompting chaotic scenes as residents rushed to flee to safety on Monday. Some 22,000 people were told to evacuate.

Traffic was at a standstill for hours on the main highway out of town, with cars inching along through the smoky haze. One evacuee played his violin next to his car to pass the time.

The Caldor Fire, which broke out on 14 August, has so far burned more than 186,500 acres and is threatening thousands of homes.