California’s rapidly spreading Caldor Fire has vaulted a major highway to reach Lake Tahoe Basin, the Sacramento Bee reports. Reporters saw the flames jump from the eastern side of Highway 89 to the west, bringing the fire near to the southern edge of South Lake Tahoe. Earlier Monday, some 22,000 people were ordered to evacuate the city as strong winds pushed the flames closer to the popular tourist spot and highly populated area along the south shore of Lake Tahoe. The Associated Press reported that mountain cabins have been reduced to ashes as the fire has made its way down the slopes into the Tahoe Basin. “It’s more out of control than I thought,” evacuee Glen Naasz said late Monday. Resident Ken Breslin told the news agency: “Until this morning, I didn’t think there was a chance it could come into this area. Now, it’s very real.”