Controlled Burns Continue Around Lake Tahoe Basin

You may see smoke in three different locations around the Lake Tahoe basin this week as U.S. Forest Service fuel reduction operations continue. Starting Monday, April 7, they will be burning near Spooner Summit on the East Shore, in the Luther Pass Campground off of Highway 89 S near South Lake Tahoe, and on the west side of Highway 89 N near Tahoma on the West Shore.

Operations are ongoing and may continue through the week and next weekend if weather, staffing, and conditions allow.

Forest Service staff will post road signs around the areas affected by the prescribed fire, send email notifications, and update the local fire information line at 530-543-2600, #6. To receive prescribed fire notifications, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.

Prescribed fire is a valuable land management tool. Prescribed fire also produces smoke, but the smoke is typically short-lived and managed to minimize impacts unlike wildfires. Prescribed fire and other fuels treatments help to reduce the severity of wildfires and minimize adverse impacts on public health and safety.

All prescribed fire projects are conducted in accordance with an approved prescribed fire burn plan. Burn plans describe specific conditions under which operations are conducted including the weather, number of personnel, opportunities to minimize smoke impacts, and available burn days. This information is used to decide when and where to burn.

For more information on prescribed fire and smoke management tips, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/RxFireOps.