U.S. Forest Service

There are an estimated 66 million dead trees in California, and 5.5 million of them need to be cut down immediately to prevent catastrophic fires according to the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Zephyr Cove Resort will remain open for business as soil impacted by a 2011 underground fuel release is removed from an area near the south beach volleyball courts starting Monday, September 12.

Even though those driving by and visiting the resort will see the activity, impact to operations is expected to be minimal. There may be some disruption to parking and the volleyball area but watercraft rentals and sightseeing boats will continue to operate during the excavation.

10:30 a.m. update: The Ralph Fire, burning in the Heavenly Creek/Powerline Trail area above Ralph Drive in South Lake Tahoe, is now 60 percent contained.

Firefighters are now in mop-up mode and full containment is expected shortly according to the U.S. Forest Service.

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The fourth fire to burn around South Lake Tahoe this week burned almost three acres early Friday morning in heavy brush on a steep slope above Pioneer Trail.

1:50 p.m. update 8/21: Fire officials have updated the acreage burned in Saturday's fire at the Carson River Resort. 29 acres burned have burned and fire fighters are in mop up mode.

The fire is now 60 percent contained.

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8:00 a.m. update 8/21: Firefighters have been able to get a 40 percent containment line around the Carson Fire which has burned 50 acres around the Carson River Resort south of Markleeville.

Beginning today, July 11, and going until October 14, the Truckee River will be closed near the South Lake Tahoe airport in order for the Upper Truckee River Reach 5 Restoration Project to be completed.

Depending on where you live on the South Shore, you may be able to have a wood fire in your outdoor fire pit, or, maybe not.

Restrictions differ between Tahoe Douglas Fire Department and the City of South Lake Tahoe and Lake Valley Fire Departments.

Cal Fire and the U.S Forest Service also have fire regulations to be aware of.

9:30 a.m. update 6/26: Firefighters have gained some control of the Marina Fire burning near Mono Lake and the town of Lee Vining. The 758 acre fire is 30 percent contained.

Highway 395 is closed at the town of Lee Vining on the south at the turnoff for Hawthorne, NV (Highway 167) on the north. However, California Highway Patrol is conducting one-way traffic escorts as conditions allow. Mono County Sheriff and Caltrans District 9 have worked tirelessly with CHP to implement this escort.

Fallen Leaf Campground will be closed starting Monday, June 27 so county and state public health and vector control officials can start pesticide treatments to minimize the risk of plague.

The treatments are a public safety precaution after tests on 15 rodents resulted in one positive case of plague on June 20, 2016. There is minimal risk to the public at this time.

The campground will close at 7:00 p.m. Monday but all campers will need to check out by noon. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit expects it to reopen by Friday, July 1 in time for the holiday weekend.

The U.S. Forest Service is planning a project to restore the Taylor and Tallac creek ecosystems, an area that provides habitat for numerous protected wildlife speciesfas well as being an important hydrological connection to Lake Tahoe.

Named the Taylor and Tallac Restoration Project, the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will restore the large wetland complex where the two creeks were once connected through a series of four swales.

Public comment is sought on the Environmental Assessment, Initial Study and Initial Environmental Checklist.

Major components:

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is urging backcountry hikers and backpackers to use extra care when visiting upper elevation areas of the Lake Tahoe Basin over the next several weeks as there is still significant snow above 8,000 feet in many locations. This past winter saw a return to normal snow-pack conditions and many backcountry trails are still covered with snow and ice leaving trails slippery and difficult to find. In addition, current warm temperatures have caused streams to flow higher and faster, which can make crossing difficult.

The South Shore Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Healthy Forest Restoration project on 10,000 acres near Fallen Leaf Lake has resumed.

Crews with the U.S. Forest Service will be mechanically removing whole trees off Fallen Leaf Road near the campground over the next several months and the area will be closed for public safety.

The goal of the project is to reduce the risk of severe wildfire and create healthier forests.

Several local agencies have teamed together to inform the public on the importance of proper food storage and trash disposal at their Lake Tahoe homes and vacation rentals.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin the sale of personal use fuelwood permits at the Forest Supervisor’s Office at 35 College Drive in South Lake Tahoe on Monday, May 23, 2016, and at the North Shore office at 855 Alder Avenue in Incline Village on Wednesday, May 25, 2016. Permits cost $20 per cord, with a two-cord minimum purchase and a limit of 10 cords per household.

Permits should be purchased early and wood collected promptly as fire restrictions are likely to go into effect early and there may be days when no cutting is allowed.

Taking advantage of favorable burning conditions, the Lake Valley Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service have planned to conduct prescribed fire operations next week on the South Shore beginning Monday, May 16, 2016.

Burning operations are scheduled to take place in four locations:

Northeast of the Lake Tahoe Airport near Barbara Avenue
Off Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Sawmill Road
Off Panther Lane near the west end of Gardner Mountain
Off Santa Claus Drive and West River Parkway near Christmas Valley

Thanks to the U.S. Forest Service employees from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the Bread & Broth diners on Monday night May 2nd enjoyed a festive Mexican dinner at St. Theresa Church Grace Hall. With funds from the Forest Service employee association’s Wellness, Recreation and Morale fund, the B&B cooks prepared beef tacos, Mexican black beans and Spanish rice to celebrate the upcoming Cino de Mayo holiday.

Prescribed fire operations are planned to continue this week on the east and south shores of Lake Tahoe.

The U.S. Forest Service, the Nevada Division of State Lands and the Nevada Division of Forestry will start the fire operations on Monday, May 2, weather permitting.

South Shore: Near Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Sawmill Road, Panther Lane near South Tahoe High School, off Highway 89 near Spring Creek, and off Santa Claus Drive and West River Parkway near Christmas Valley.

Work on a new driveway and parking lot at Zephyr Cove Stables begins the week of May 1, 2016 when the first stage of the Zephyr Cove Stables Upgrade Project begins. Crews will be upgrading existing facilities, trails and utilities to meet current building code and accessibility standards and install Best Management Practices (BMPs) to improve water quality.

This is a joint project between the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), Zephyr Cove Resort and Douglas County.

Officially Earth Day is over, but the spirit runs throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin all year long. One way that the public can help the environment is to join forces with the Sugar Pine Foundation.

A project designed to help protect environmentally sensitive resources while providing safer, adequate access the area south of Lakeshore Drive along State Route 28 is the focus of an upcoming public meeting on Tuesday, April 26 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m at The Chateau at Incline Village. A question and answer period will be at 5:30 p.m.

Weather permitting, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, the Nevada Division of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service are schedule to continue prescribed fire operations starting Monday, April 18, 2016.

East Shore: Burning planned on the north side of Spooner Lake off Highway 28, Spooner Summit, Camp Galilee and on Kingsbury Grade near Edgewood Drive.

South Shore: Burning planned near Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Sawmill Road, Panther Lane near South Tahoe High School, off Highway 89 near Spring Creek, and off Santa Claus Drive and West River Parkway near Christmas Valley.

The U.S. Forest Service seeks input on their draft environmental assessment for the restoration for the Burke Creek Highway 50 Crossing and Realignment Project.

The first two phases of the proposed project would restore the Burke Creek channel and adjacent marsh, reduce the amount of sediment that flows into nearby Lake Tahoe and reduce the potential for flooding on U.S. Highway 50.

Prescribed fire operations are set to continue this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin, as long as the weather allows burning. California State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service have projects planned near Burton Creek, Sugar Pine Point and D.L. Bliss state parks. On the East Shore, operations are scheduled to take place on Spooner Summit and near Camp Galilee. On the South Shore, operations may take place near Lake Tahoe Boulevard and Sawmill Road, Panther Lane near South Tahoe High School and off Highway 89 near Spring Creek.

Over the past eight building seasons, a bi-state collaborative effort of the South Tahoe Public Utility District, U.S. Forest Service and the other area water agencies has enhanced the Lake Tahoe Basin's water infrastructure to better fight wildfires.

Smokey Bear and U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Fire Prevention staff, Bill Sanders and Jacob Ruano, visited a Head Start class in South Lake Tahoe last week. They were there to teach the pre=kindergarten students about fire safety and fire prevention.