South Lake Tahoe Fuels Reduction Work Resumes

Over 460 acres of Forest Service latd in South Lake Tahoe will be thinned out this Spring to improve forest health and reduce the risk of sever wildiires on the South Shore.

Starting Monday, April 21, The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will resume work on the South Shore Fuels Reduction and Healthy Forest Restoration Project.

Project work is scheduled to begin in areas located between Highway 89 and Cascade Lake, and between the west end of Gardner Mountain and lower Angora Ridge. Approximately 380 acres in these areas will be thinned by hand, which is done by crews with chainsaws and involves piling the material for burning at a later time. Work is expected to last approximately one month.

Work in units along Lake Tahoe Boulevard near South Tahoe High School and the Sand Pit OHV area may begin as early as May 1, 2014. Approximately 80 acres in these areas will be thinned using mechanical equipment, which cuts the tree down, cuts the tree into sections in the cutting area, and then removes the tree and as much material as possible. The Forest Service will officially close these areas, due to the hazards posed by heavy equipment operation and falling trees. Work should take approximately one month to complete.

The Forest Service will provide periodic updates as work moves to new areas and closure orders for mechanical work will be posted at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/ForestOrders.
For general information on the South Shore project, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/SouthShoreFuelReduction.