Grizzly Flats (formerly, Grizzly Flat and Chickenmasee) is a census-designated place in El Dorado County, California. It’s located southeast of Camino, at an elevation of 3868 feet (1179 m). Grizzly Flats is the town nearest to Baltic Peak, a small peak to the northwest. The population at the 2010 census was 1,066. The name was given by miners who were surprised by a grizzly bear in 1850. A post office opened at Grizzly Flats in 1855. 1896 Grizzly Flat House Fire On July 22, 1896, a portion of the town was destroyed in a fire that started in an abandoned bath house. From the Union newspaper: FIRE AT GRIZZLY FLAT – A correspondent of the Union, writing from the above place, July 23d, gives the following particulars of a most disastrous fire there on the night previous: Last night our village was laid in ruins. At a quarter before twelve o'clock a fire was discovered in an old bath house, in the rear of the Grizzly Flat House, which has not been in use for two years. The alarm of fire was scarcely sounded until the entire business portion of the town was enveloped in flames. Nothing was saved in the line of houses from East street to the second house above J. B. Hume's livery stable, at the top of the hill, except the fire-proof stone building formerly occupied by Hulburt Bros., the fireproof stone building of Dean & Wetherwax, and a stone vault occupied by Solomon for clothing, etc. These buildings all had stocks of goods in them that were preserved harmless, whilst everything else was in the space of one hour swept away. 2021 Caldor Fire In August 2021, the Caldor Fire destroyed around 500 buildings in and near Grizzly Flats, including the original 1850s post office, the modern post office, and Walt Tyler Elementary School. Evacuation warnings were issued for the town at 9pm on August 16, 2021 via CodeRED. At 11:30pm, the warnings were upgraded to orders; the El Dorado Sheriff's Office went door-to-door notifying residents to evacuate. After 1:00am, law enforcement switched to PA announcements to save time. Around 2:00am, the EDSO began to retreat as the fire began to impact structures in Grizzly Flats. By sunrise, hundreds of homes had been destroyed. and two people with serious injuries caused by the fire from the Grizzly Flats area were airlifted to hospitals. Demographics The