Caldor

Caldor may refer to more than one topic. It is the name of a former United States discount department store chain and, in 2021, a major wildfire in California.

Caldor (retail chain): Caldor was a chain of discount department stores in the United States that operated during the mid- to late 20th century. The stores offered a broad range of goods, including groceries, apparel, and home essentials, and were located in several states across the Northeast and West Coast. The chain expanded during the postwar period but was eventually absorbed by a larger retailer; many Caldors locations were converted to other brands or shuttered as the market consolidated. The Caldors brand disappeared from the retail landscape by the late 1980s to early 1990s.

Caldor Fire: The Caldor Fire began on August 14, 2021, in El Dorado County, California, near Grizzly Flat. Driven by hot, dry conditions and strong winds, it rapidly expanded and led to extensive evacuations, including the South Lake Tahoe area. The fire burned a substantial area, destroying homes and infrastructure before containment was achieved in October 2021. The event prompted significant firefighting operations and raised concerns about wildfire management in the Sierra Nevada region.