Prescribed fire operations continue around Lake Tahoe Basin

Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team has announced continued prescribed fire operations by the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team at several locations in the Lake Tahoe Basin this week, weather and conditions permitting. Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, California State Parks, California Tahoe Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service will conduct the operations in Sugar Pine Point and Burton Creek state parks on the West Shore, near Carnelian Bay and Kings Beach on the North Shore, near Logan Shoals on the East Shore and on Kingsbury Grade near Edgewood Creek and urban lots off Ski Run Boulevard on the South Shore.

The following locations for prescribed fires match the letters on the map above:

A) 70 acres burned by Tahoe Douglas Fire District in the Kingsbury/Edgewood Creek area starting 4/4 with 3-4 days of burn town time.

B) 12 acres burned by California Tahoe Conservancy in the Snow Creek Drainage in Kings Beach starting 4/3 with 5 days of burn down time.
C) 30 acres burned by California State Parks in Burton Creek State Park starting 4/3 and lasting about three weeks.
D) 4 acres burned by California State Parks at Sugar Pine Point State Park starting 4/3 over one week.
E) 20 acres at Griff/Beaver St. burned by USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit starting 4/2 for two days.
F) 27 acres burned by USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit at Brockway in Carnelian Bay starting 4/2 and lasting 3 days.
G) 30 acres of urban lots around Ski Run and Heavenly Valley burned by USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and starting 4/2, lasting two days.
H) 100 acres burned by USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit at Logan Shoals starting 4/2 and lasting two days.

All dates and length are dependent on weather and conditions. Smoke may be present.

Whenever weather and conditions allow, prescribed fire operations are conducted by the TFFT to reduce overgrown vegetation, which decreases the severity of future wildland fires and protects communities. After nearly a century of fire exclusion in the Sierra Nevada, prescribed fire operations also re-introduce fire back onto the landscape, which helps restore vital ecosystem functions and improve forest health and resiliency.

Each prescribed fire operation follows a specialized prescribed fire burn plan that considers temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. This information is used to decide when and where to burn.

The TFFT coordinates closely with local county and state air pollution control districts and monitors weather conditions carefully prior to prescribed fire ignitions. They wait for favorable conditions that will carry smoke up and out of the basin. Crews also conduct test burns before igniting larger areas, to verify how effectively fuels are consumed and how smoke will travel. When conditions meet the prescription, state and local air pollution control districts issue a burn permit allowing operations to proceed.

Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after an ignition depending on the project size and environmental conditions. Keep in mind that prescribed fire smoke is generally less intense and of much shorter duration than smoke produced by a wildland fire. Smoke sensitive individuals are encouraged to reduce their exposure by staying indoors if they are in a smoke affected area.

When prescribed fire operations are conducted, the TFFT posts road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, sends email notifications and updates the local fire information line at 530-543-2816. The TFFT gives as much advance notice as possible before burning, but some operations may be conducted on short notice.

For information about smoke management tips, visit https://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=topics.smoke_events.