fires

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It takes a tragedy to bring people together, no matter their politics, their income or twitter handle.

Many in the South Lake Tahoe and Meyers community remember where they were at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, June 24, 2007 and what happened in the days that followed. The Angora Fire quickly tore through neighborhoods, destroying 251 homes and burning 3,100 acres. While it seems small in comparison with the monster fires of 2017 and 2018, it took everything from so many local families.

The community came together to help their friends and neighbors.

California State Parks, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service will continue prescribed fire operations over the next several weeks in multiple locations around Lake Tahoe. Operations may take place near Glenbrook on the East Shore; near Heavenly Mountain Resort’s Boulder and California lodges, near Twin Peaks and in Baldwin Meadow on the South Shore; in D.L. Bliss and Burton Creek state parks and near Rubicon Estates on the West Shore; and on urban lots in Kings Beach on the North Shore.

Warming temperatures pose major challenges for Lake Tahoe's environment, communities, and the outdoor recreation that drives its economy. Research by University of California, Davis's Tahoe Environmental Research Center, University of Nevada, Reno, and Desert Research Institute clearly shows Lake Tahoe is warming.

LAKE TAHOE, Nev. - Six different areas around Lake Tahoe have been slated to receive fuels treatment over the next week with some of the prescribed fires starting today, October 10.

10.3.18 update: The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department has released their final report on the September 22 fire at a Sonora Avenue home.

According to their report, the exact cause of the fire could not be determined except that it started on the couch on the first floor.

Property loss is estimated at $200,000 with an additional $50,000 in contents loss. Smoke detectors were installed at the home and all went off when the fire started.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Emergency crews responded to two South Lake Tahoe fires on Saturday, one a house fire and another a brush fire.

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.

As of Wednesday afternoon, 4,142 acres are burning between the North Fire, Sliger Fire and Boot Fire.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In the coming week, Lake Tahoe and Western Nevada will see temperatures near average with a few degrees of cooling possible for the early part of next week. Dry conditions and typical breezes are expected through Saturday evening with breezy winds and critical fire weather concerns increasing for Sunday as a dry trough approaches the region. No precipitation is expected for the next week.

Expect widespread haze from Northern California fires.

The forecast from the National Weather Service:

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Dry weather will prevail for the upcoming week as temperatures ease down closer to average, with further cooling possible toward early next week. Typical afternoon and evening breezes are expected for the next few days.

There is some haze over Lake Tahoe today from the Mendocino Complex fire, with most of it staying at the north end.

The forecast from the National Weather Service in Reno:

This Afternoon - Widespread haze. Sunny, with a high near 79. Southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

A Red Flag Warning has been issued for the Sierra, including the Donnell Fire area where 23,824 acres since starting on August 1. Northwest winds and low relative humidity may increase activity along the southern and eastern areas of the fire, keeping smoke away from Lake Tahoe. Concern areas include Long Valley, Haypass, Sardine, and Red Rock Meadows. The fire may also travel in a Southeast direction towards Kennedy Meadows within the Middle Fork Stanislaus River corridor. A Forest Order Closure has been issued for the Carson-Iceberg Wilderness and Spicer Lake.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The National Forest Foundation (NFF) has received a major grant from the California Climate Investments Forest Health Grant Program to conduct important forest health work on the Tahoe National Forest, the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) and State Responsibility Area (SRA) lands in the Truckee / Tahoe region.

Location

Over 50 possible major forest firest have been prevented in the Lake Tahoe Basin since the AlertTahoe camera system was installed around the lake over the last four years. The combination of technology, human observation and firefighters on the ground kept those small fires contained to a space of less than one acre.

Everyone knows what goes downhill, but the South Tahoe Public Utility District knows how to recycle it into 381,000 kilowatts of electricity per year. A recent feature article by the Association of California Water Agencies pointed out that STPUD is one of only a handful of utility districts in the entire world that can claim 100% reuse of wastewater and bio solids. Here’s how. We use centrifuges instead of the usual pollution causing burners. That allows us to make fertilizer for ranch land.

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.

An update for recent fires in El Dorado County, Yosemite, Pyramid Lake and Redding, Calif.

The Ferguson Fire near the western border of Yosemite is now in its 22nd day. It has consumed 73,560 acres and is now 41 percent contained. Yosemite National Park announces Yosemite Valley, Wawona Road, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias, Hetch Hetchy, and other areas will remain closed to all visitors through Sunday, August 5, 2018 due to continued unhealthy smoke impacts and ongoing firefighting operations.

Increased fuels due to the wet winter and spring, drying vegetation, high fuel loading, and increasing daytime temperatures have prompted the Bridgeport and Carson Ranger Districts on the Humbolt-Toiyabe National Forest to announce the implementation of fire restrictions beginning August 04.

8:00 p.m. update: Omega Fire is 10 percent contained, reported at 80 acres with 1 destroyed residence and two damaged residences. The evacuation center has been relocated to Northside Elementary School, 860 Cave Valley Road, Cool, Calif.

The Bumper Fire is 80 percent contained and it has burned 67 acres according to CalFire.

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Three fires started in El Dorado County Wednesday, prompting law enforcement to evacuate residents from several streets in the areas as firefighters fought the fire from both the ground and the air.

Two large California fires are sending smoke into Lake Tahoe, Reno and the Carson Valley. For several days, smoke from the Ferguson Fire has filled the area skies, but today most of the smoke came from the one-day old Carr Fire.

The Ferguson Fire burning west of Yosemite continues to burn through rugged, hard to access terrain. Officials reported a 764-acre growth in the fire today for a total of 46,675 acres as of 6:00 p.m. Friday. Containment is at 29 percent.

The U.S. Forest Service ordered Fire Restrictions across the Tahoe National Forest starting Monday, July 16, 2018. The decision to order fire restrictions came after an analysis of current fuel conditions and weather observations. This analysis revealed the potential to support large fire growth across the Tahoe National Forest.

Tahoe National Forest covers land from the Sierra foothills to the California/Nevada state line, except for the Lake Tahoe basin.

The Fourth of July holiday period is upon us and signifies the busiest time of year in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) asks residents and visitors to keep the following tips in mind to help everyone enjoy a safe and fun holiday.

To promote public safety, the annual alcohol ban will be in effect at the following locations:

· Nevada Beach on July 4, from 6 a.m. until midnight.

Summer officially arrived yesterday and recreational activities are in full swing in the Tahoe Basin. The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) would like to take this opportunity to remind visitors and residents that wildfires pose a serious threat to Lake Tahoe neighborhoods and communities and we need help to prevent any unwanted fires this summer. Whether camping, hiking or participating in some other activity in the forest, keep in mind the following advice to Keep Tahoe Fire Safe.

Fireworks

Both California and Nevada suffered destructive wildfires last year. Nevada saw 768 fires burn more than 1.3 million acres. California experienced the deadliest, largest, and most destructive wildfires in its history. Just a few hours-drive from Tahoe, more than 40 people died and thousands of homes were destroyed in the wine country and North Bay last October. In Southern California, the Thomas Fire ravaged communities and forest lands last December with damaging flooding and landslides piled on after the fire subsided.

With just over 2k left to ride to the summit of Gibraltar Road, Team Sky’s 21-year-old Egan Bernal (COL) attacked and swiftly climbed away to a solo victory to close out Stage 2 of the 2018 Amgen Tour of California. Tao Geoghegan Hart and his Team Sky teammates set an unyielding pace all the way up the steep grade in support of lead rider Bernal to help launch him to his fourth victory of the 2018 season, shoring up the race lead as well as nearly all of the classification wins with today’s epic climb and overall performance.

In the South Lake Tahoe public safety communication system installed in 1965, there are three major problems:

1) There are three systems working totally separately: the police, fire and public works departments;

2) Trees have grown since the system was installed 53 years ago, now blocking signals through the town;

3) Having functioning radio frequencies near water is challenging.