firefighting

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The new Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Deputy Forest Supervisor Danelle D. Harrison is our guest columnist and looks back, and ahead, to the health of Lake Tahoe

Looking Back

December is a special time of year when our thoughts turn to family and friends, and communities come together to celebrate the season. It also marks the end of the year. And what a year it was. Together, we experienced unprecedented events including a record-breaking wildland fire year in the Pacific Southwest Region.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There are three open seats on the South Tahoe Public Utility Board of Directors this election season, two for a four-year term and one for a two-year term.

South Tahoe Now reached out to the candidates and below are their answers to a set of questions. For the two four-year terms, incumbent Kelly Sheehan is running for reelection, Duane Wallace is running after being appointed to fill Jim Jones's spot on the board until this election, and they are joined by David Peterson.

The Fork Fire west of Lake Tahoe and about 15 miles from Pollock Pines has not gained in size for that last few days and it still measures at 1,752 acres. Firefighters were able to gain more containment Tuesday and there is now a line around 24 percent of the fire. There are 316 personnel assigned to the Fork Fire.

Dense smoke from fires burning to the south of El Dorado County covered the Fork Fire, as well as Lake Tahoe, on Tuesday with more of the same expected on Wednesday.

The Fork Fire continues to burn west of Lake Tahoe in the Rubicon drainage area near Loon Lake. The size has been remapped and 1,647 acres have burned and it is seven percent contained.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has downgraded the mandatory evacuation order to an evacuation warning for the areas of Quintette, Stumpy Meadows and Volcanoville. This does not supersede the temporary closure order that prohibits entering or using National Forest System lands, roads and trails on the Eldorado National Forest.

UPDATE 10:30AM 9/9: The Fork Fire is now measured at 2,500 acres. It continues to burn in the Crystal Basin/Gerle Creek area, 15 miles northeast of Pollock Pines.

UPDATE 7:30PM: The Fork Fire in the Pacific Ranger District is 15 miles northeast of Pollock Pines. It is now 500 acres with 0 percent containment and is spreading toward the 2014 King Fire burn scar in the Rubicon drainage on the Georgetown Ranger District.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All campgrounds and day use areas on U.S. Forest Service land in California and the Lake Tahoe Basin must close at 5:00 p.m. Monday, September 7 due to the unprecedented and dangerous fire conditions and extreme heat, significant wind events, dry conditions, and firefighting resources that are stretched to the limit.

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has announced the following temporary closures and fire restrictions to provide for public safety and reduce the potential for human caused fire starts:

Wednesday evening update: The Slink Fire behavior today was moderate, though the south end saw small, terrain driven runs. The fire is 14,200 acres and 10 percent contained.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue recently held ceremonies for the hiring of three new firefighter/paramedics and the promotion of three to the rank of captain. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, ceremonies were small and held at the fire station during their shifts.

Captain/Paramedic Mike Taormina

The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest is implementing fire restrictions earlier than usual this year to reduce the number of human-caused fires and reduce firefighter exposure to COVID-19 during the current pandemic. The Humboldt-Toiyabe will enact fire restrictions prohibiting campfires and smoking outside of vehicles starting on April 15 and going until May 31, or until rescinded.

The Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) firefighters are our friends; they are our neighbors, they are kids we went to school with, they are our softball teammate, and most importantly, they are our saviors in times of need. During the Angora Fire in 2007 some of them sacrificed their own homes to save ours, and more recently they provided vital help and support at the Camp Fire and prevented the oil tanker fire from spreading further than Hwy 50. Our community is safer because of LVFPD firefighters, but these firefighters are not safe in their jobs.

10.15.19 7:00 p.m. UPDATE: Tuesday was a productive day for firefighters. The northern ridge and southwestern corner are now contained and being patrolled. The containment lines on the eastern and southwestern sides of the fire containment lines are in progress. The hand line on the south side was extended farther northeast towards Castle Point by crews using tactical firing operations. Stronger winds from the southwest are expected late Wednesday afternoon and evening with light precipitation expected Thursday morning.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - What would happen if fire-fighting agencies could stop a wildfire before it gains momentum and wipes out homes, communities and/or forests? That is being answered with well over 100 fire cameras now in place across the west, all because of foresight of Dr. Graham Kent, the Director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory at the University of Nevada Reno (UNR).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The public has another chance to speak to the South Tahoe Public Utility District about a proposed rate change during their board meeting on Thursday, May 16 at 2:00 p.m.

There have been several meetings and workshops about water and sewer rates in South Lake Tahoe since January.

MEYERS, Calif. - Traffic through neighborhoods in the Meyers area has become unbearable to many residents as vehicles leaving South Lake Tahoe to take to side streets in an effort to circumvent Highway 50 traffic over Echo Summit.

In an effort to find solutions to a problem that keeps Meyers residents from their homes for hours at a time, a townhall-style meeting was held on Friday night.

The boat Lisa "Angel of Tahoe" Maloff and Bob and Nackey Scagliotti helped bring to the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District (TDFPD) in 2017 was named one of WorkBoat magazine’s “10 Significant Boats of 2018” an international in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Lake Assault Boats fire and rescue craft on duty with TDFPD, named Marine 24, was christened in 2017. At a cost of $500,000 it is designed to respond to a wide range of emergencies, including structural and wildland fires, and on-the-water rescue operations.

Due to extremely dry vegetation and very high fire danger, recreational target shooting is prohibited in the Eldorado National Forest until at least October 9, 2018. In the Lake Tahoe Basin, it is not prohibited but they suggest those wishing to target shoot go to one of the legal ranges in Carson City or Gardnerville for safety reasons.

9:30 p.m. update: The Boot Fire has grown to 4,620 acres with 0 percent containment. Evacuations and road closures continue to grow.

A number of fires across northern and eastern California continue to bring hazy conditions and degraded air quality to northeast California, the Sierra, and western Nevada. According to the National Weather Service in Reno, areas at greatest risk for unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality are from Sonora Pass to South Lake Tahoe and Carson City.

Smoke from fires west of Lake Tahoe is expected to come into the basin again today, but Sunday morning is clear. Here is an update on most fires in Northern California and Western Nevada.

The Perry Fire burning between Reno and Pyramid Lake has now burned 25,600 acres and is now 15 percent contained. It started Friday evening and the cause is unknown at this time.

Four firefighter/paramedics from South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue are part of the 3,000 firefighting personnel at the Ferguson Fire burning northeast of Mariposa in Western Yosemite. This is the fire responsible for sending smoke into the Lake Tahoe basin for a week.

One engine with Captain Tyler Jack, Engineers Kevin Van Kirk and Mike Taormina and Firefighter Danny Vallejo left the South Shore nine days ago for a 14-day assignment at the fire.

They are joined by crews from Fallen Leaf Fire Department, Northstar Fire and North Tahoe Fire Protection District.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Last October, California experienced a series of devastating wildfires that destroyed property and took lives. In a four month period the State endured fires and floods from San Diego to Mendocino that destroyed over 11,000 homes and commercial structures and killed 64 Californians. Local Government fire and rescue personnel and equipment comprised up to 80 percent available resources for mutual aid throughout the State. The City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Department along with other fire agencies around the basin engaged in these critical fire fights.

Non-profit partners of government agencies play a critical role in managing trails, recreation, planning and other essential activities taking place on public lands. Locally, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) is the region’s largest non-profit trail organization and has the primary responsibility for managing and maintaining about 200 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails in and around the Tahoe Basin in partnership with the US Forest Service (USFS) and NV State Parks.

Almost 200,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as six large fires continue to burn out of control in Southern California. 500 confirmed structures have been destroyed and 23,000 homes are still threatened.

The largest of the fire, the Thomas Fire, has burned 115,000 acres and is five percent contained. It is in Ventura County between Hwy 150 and Hwy 126, north of Santa Paula.

The Creek Fire has burned 15,323 acres and is now 20 percent contained. It is Los Angeles County east of Sylmar.