Controlled burns continue on the South Shore

Prescribed fire operations resumed in South Lake Tahoe today in the Christmas Valley, Spooner, Heavenly, Elizabeth Lane (Hurricane Bay on the West Shore) and Sawmill Pond areas.

The controlled burns will continue as conditions allow.

The cooler temperatures and precipitation that fall and winter bring are favorable conditions for burning slash piles and other under brush. Each operation follows a prescribed fire burn plan, which 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 Forest Service tries to give as much advance notice as possible before burning, but some operations may be conducted on short notice.

Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after an ignition depending on the project size. Forest Service staff coordinate with state and local county air pollution control districts and monitor weather conditions closely prior to prescribed fire ignition. They wait for favorable conditions that will carry smoke up and out of the Basin. Crews also conduct test burns before igniting a larger area, to verify how effectively fuels are consumed how smoke will travel.

Before prescribed fire operations are conducted, Forest Service staff post road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, send email notifications and update the local fire information line at 530-543-2600, #6.