Forest Service aims for 10-acre prescribed fire at South Shore

Submitted by Editor on Thu, 04/04/2013 - 3:43am

If weather conditions hold, about 10 acres will be burned in a prescribed fire today near Mewuk Drive in the South Lake Tahoe area, the U.S. Forest Service reports. Five acres are up for burning across the South Shore near Tahoe City.

Rain and high elevation snow are expected today along with breezy conditions. A Lake Wind Advisory is in effect through 11 p.m. Thursday. Winds will be out of the southwest, 10 to 15 mph with gusts to 30 mph this morning and then increasing this afternoon with gusts to 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Below is a news releases sent by the Forest Service.

Prescribed fire operations continue around the Lake Tahoe Basin
U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will continue prescribed fire operations on the northwest and south shores of Lake Tahoe beginning Thursday, April 4, 2013. Crews expect to burn approximately 10 acres in the South Lake Tahoe area near Mewuk Drive, and approximately five acres in the Tahoe City area near Bunker Drive. Both operations may continue through the week, weather and conditions permitting.
Residents and visitors can expect to see smoke from these prescribed fire project areas. The Forest Service strives to minimize the impacts of smoke on local communities. Smoke-sensitive residents should consider staying indoors and keeping doors, windows and outside vents closed. To directly receive prescribed fire updates, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.

Forest Service staff will post road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, and update the local fire information line at (530) 543-2600, #6. Other federal, state and local fire management agencies may also be conducting prescribed fire work during this period.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu. To learn more about the efforts to reduce catastrophic wildfire risks in the Tahoe Basin read the Lake Tahoe Basin Multi-jurisdictional Fuel Reduction Plan found here or see below.

Take a few moments to visit an excellent web site and learn about Prescribed Fire vs. Wildfire at: www.smokeybear.com/prescribed-fires.asp.