wildfires
Fire ravaged forest brings sadness, also beauty for campers
Submitted by paula on Sat, 05/23/2015 - 6:01pmEven as campers pour in to the El Dorado National Forest for the Memorial Day weekend, dangers remain.
Several members of a group of campers from Sacramento didn't even realize they were near the King Fire's burn zone as they set up tents at the Ponderosa Cove Campsite.
Fortunately, one camper did understand the risk from burned trees and branches that can still fall on unsuspecting hikers.
Drought highlights importance of wildfire preparedness at Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/19/2015 - 5:55pm
It’s Wildfire Awareness Month at Tahoe, and with the summer tourist season around the corner, we must all remember that drought has left our Region with severely dry forest conditions and an extreme risk of wildfire. This summer we need to think about “when” not “if” another fire will happen. All of us have important roles to play in preventing the next wildfire, and in making sure our homes, families, and communities are prepared for it.
Wildfires: Are you prepared?
Submitted by paula on Tue, 05/12/2015 - 9:09pm
When a wildland fire occurs, will you be ready? Preparedness begins by making a plan for your home and business. Consider the local hazards and what you can do to reduce them. For wildland fires your plan must include defensible space, and how to evacuate if authorities ask you to leave the area. Evacuation plans should include primary and alternate (if available) routes to safety, as well as how to contact friends and loved ones. Establish a rally point at a known location and know each others’ telephone numbers in case your cell phone contacts are not working.
Smokey Bear visit Jubilee Kids' Academy
Submitted by paula on Thu, 04/09/2015 - 8:12pm
Smokey Bear and U.S. Forest Service crew members visited Jubilee Kids' Academy in South Lake Tahoe this morning to teach preschool kids about campfire safety. Illegal and unattended campfires cause over 90 percent of wildfires in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The Forest Service asks the public to be mindful of the current fire danger and help prevent human-caused wildfires by not building illegal campfires. Photo credit: Dave Marion, U.S. Forest Service.
Illegal campfire starts in blaze in Desolation Wilderness
Submitted by paula on Thu, 04/02/2015 - 10:13amAn illegal campfire at Granite Lake in Desolation Wilderness started a wildfire on Tuesday according to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). With the lack of a deep snowpack and high winds in the area this week, the fire could have easily spread had it not been for the quick response by USFS firefighters.
Illegal and unattended campfires cause over 90 percent of wildfires in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Fire managers are concerned about the impact from illegal campfires as we are in our fourth year of drought and forest conditions are already as dry as they would be in June.
Fire safety measures in place for Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Fri, 03/20/2015 - 4:36pm
There were more than 1,000 fires in California in 2014 and, because of the current dry conditions, 2015 is expected to be more of the same.
Dear Santa...
Submitted by paula on Mon, 12/22/2014 - 12:11am
The Sugar Pine Foundation of Lake Tahoe has asked Santa for a $5,000 gift this year. That is the amount needed to plant and restore sugar pines in recent California wildfires.
The giant Pinus lambertiana (sugar pine trees) are shown uphill from these firefighters in the photo.
Sugar pines are the world's largest species of pine with the longest cones - and they are dying from white pine blister rust, a non-native, invasive fungus. Though they historically accounted for 25% of Lake Tahoe's forests, sugar pines now make up less than 5% of the forest composition.
'Tis the prescribed burn season; Wildfire protection a year-round effort
Submitted by paula on Wed, 11/05/2014 - 10:16pm
South Lake Tahoe, Calif. - You've walked by them, biked past them, and maybe even seen them on empty lots - what are those random piles of wood? The piles are the first half of a two-step process used by Lake Tahoe Basin agencies to reduce hazardous fuels, provide community protection, and improve forest health.
Local scouts learn campfire safety from Smokey the Bear
Submitted by paula on Fri, 10/31/2014 - 7:31pm
Smokey Bear and the Tallac Hotshots teamed up with local South Lake Tahoe Cub Scout Pack 592 to teach them about campfire safety. The scouts and their parents learned how to safely prepare and extinguish a campfire. Several Tallac Hotshots were on hand to show the parents how to put out a campfire using the “Soak, Stir, Feel, Repeat” method. Learn more about campfire safety and help Smokey Bear prevent wildfires at http://www.smokeybear.com/campfire-safety.asp.
Basin agencies working together for wildfire protection
Submitted by paula on Wed, 10/22/2014 - 10:54pm
September brought the reality of wildfires to the forefront in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The King Fire came within eight air miles of the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit boundary, and as we all anxiously awaited its containment, the Cascade Fire broke out in the Desolation Wilderness.
Op/Ed: Protecting our Communities, Forests, and Water
Submitted by paula on Fri, 10/17/2014 - 11:26pm
With California and Nevada grappling with a third year of drought, one of the largest and most complex challenges we face over the long run at Lake Tahoe is adapting to a changing climate.
Climate change will affect the protection and restoration of our beautiful mountain lake as well as the expansive forests around it. And the health of our lake, forests, and communities are all intertwined.
Pilot dies in air tanker crash while fighting new Yosemite Fire
Submitted by paula on Tue, 10/07/2014 - 11:21pm
Highway 140 is closed through Yosemite tonight as firefighters are battling a new fire in the National Park. The Dog Fire began on Tuesday afternoon at 2:45 p.m.
Tragedy struck early in this fire when a Cal Fire pilot fighting the fire with an air tanker crashed and died. The family of the pilot has asked that identification be withheld until they could get a hold of all family members.
The tanker that crashed was an S-2T, one of several aircraft that Cal Fire deploys to battle wildfires.
Update: Over 500,000 acres burned in the West
Submitted by paula on Sat, 08/02/2014 - 11:31pm
8/5/14 9:15 a.m. update: Rains in Northern California on Monday did little to penetrate the canopy of the raging fires according to Bald Fire Inicident Command, but the fire did burn less actively. As of Tuesday morning, the lightening caused fire has consumed 39,850 acres and is 30% contained. Nearly 1,000 fire fighters are on the fire.
The other large fire near the town of Burney, the Eiler Fire, is now 20% contained and it has burned 28,600 acres. The estimate date for full containment is August 20th and for the Bald Fire, August 17th.
Lake Tahoe Has Select Force of Wildland Firefighters
Submitted by paula on Wed, 07/09/2014 - 6:55pm
Lake Tahoe is now home to the Tallac Hotshots, a select force of 20 wildland firefighters from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU).
The group completed a demanding and extensive certification process on June 19, making them the first Interagency Hotshot Crew from Lake Tahoe.
Formerly the Tallac Hand Crew, the Tallac Hotshots join an exclusive group of roughly 2,000 firefighters across the country.
It's Not a Matter of "If" a Wildfire Will Happen in Lake Tahoe, It's a Matter of "When"
Submitted by paula on Tue, 06/24/2014 - 12:15am
Can you survive the next wildfire in Lake Tahoe? Yes, if your community is prepared.
The Lake Tahoe Basin's firefighting agencies and UNR Cooperative Education have come together to promote the "Fire Adapted Community Concept." This type of community has five elements:
1. Community Protection - Well-designed fuelbreaks and safe areas protect the community.
2. Defensible Space - Proper management of vegetation surrounding the home reduces the wildfire threat.
3. Access - Good access helps emergency responders arrive in a timely manner.
Prescribed Burns in the Skyland Area This Week
Submitted by paula on Sun, 06/08/2014 - 9:08pm
Fuels management operations will be held on Tuesday, just north of Zephyr Cove in the Skyland area. The U.S. Forest Service crew will be burning five acres on the east side of Hwy 50 and is expected to last one day.
People in the area should expect to see smoke.
Forest Service staff will post road signs around the areas affected by the prescribed fire, send email notifications, and update the local fire information line at 530-543-2600, #6. To receive prescribed fire notifications, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.
TRPA Honors Retiring Fire Chiefs During Wildfire Awareness Month
Submitted by paula on Fri, 05/30/2014 - 11:25pm
May was deemed Wildfire Awareness Month in the basin by Lake Tahoe fire agencies.
Wildfire Prevention Community Clean Up at Temple Bat Yam
Submitted by paula on Fri, 05/23/2014 - 9:26pm
In order to create defensible apace from wildfires, members of Temple Bat Yam, Lake Valley Fire Protection District and the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department held a community clean-up day for the property around the synagogue on May 18, 2014.
The collaborative effort is an example of working together to produce Fire Adapted Communities, which are communities located in fire-prone areas that require little assistance from firefighters during a wildfire.
If you're interested in scheduling a Wildfire Prevention effort in your neighborhood, call the SLTFD at 530-542-6160.
Study: Investing in Forests Reduces Megafires and Saves Millions
Submitted by paula on Thu, 04/10/2014 - 8:56pm
Proactive forest management activities can reduce high-severity fire by up to 75%, save up to three times the cost of fighting forest fires and bring added benefits to people, water and wildlife according to a study released today.
Controlled Burns Continue Around Lake Tahoe Basin
Submitted by paula on Sun, 04/06/2014 - 9:56pm
You may see smoke in three different locations around the Lake Tahoe basin this week as U.S. Forest Service fuel reduction operations continue. Starting Monday, April 7, they will be burning near Spooner Summit on the East Shore, in the Luther Pass Campground off of Highway 89 S near South Lake Tahoe, and on the west side of Highway 89 N near Tahoma on the West Shore.
Operations are ongoing and may continue through the week and next weekend if weather, staffing, and conditions allow.
Controlled Burns Continue Around Lake Tahoe Basin
Submitted by paula on Sun, 03/30/2014 - 11:16pm
Prescribed fire operations will continue around Lake Tahoe this week. Fuels management crews from the U.S. Forest Service will be in various locations around the Lake Tahoe Basin the week of March 30, 2014. Possible locations include Slaughterhouse Canyon on the East Shore, the Luther Pass Campground off of Highway 89 near South Lake Tahoe, the west side of Highway 89 near Tahoma, and near D.L. Bliss State Park on the West Shore.
Operations are ongoing and depend on weather, staffing, and conditions. Locations could vary due to changing conditions.
Prescribed Burns Continue in South Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Fri, 03/21/2014 - 2:40pm
Prescribed fire operations will continue in the Lake Tahoe basin starting Monday, March 24.
The U.S. Forest Service will have fuels management crews in a few locations around the lake.
Prescribed Fire Activity Resumes Around Lake Tahoe
Submitted by paula on Sun, 02/16/2014 - 11:41pm
Prescribed burn operations will take place in several locations around the Lake Tahoe basin beginning on Tuesday, February 18.
The U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will be in the Luther Pass Campground off of Highway 89 S near South Lake Tahoe, on the west side of Highway 89 N near Tahoma, and in Slaughterhouse Canyon on Lake Tahoe’s East Shore. Prescribed fire crews may continue operations through the weekend, weather, staffing, and conditions permitting. Locations may vary due to changing conditions.
Prescribed Fire Operations Continue in Lake Tahoe This Week
Submitted by paula on Mon, 02/03/2014 - 8:45pm
There will be several controlled burns around west and south shore of the Lake Tahoe basin beginning on Tuesday, February 4.
In South Lake Tahoe, the prescribed burns will take place on the east side of Tahoe Mountain, the south side of Highway 89 near Camp Richardson, and off of North Upper Truckee Road in the Angora fire area south of Mule Deer Circle.
Controlled Burns Continue Around Lake Tahoe Basin
Submitted by paula on Mon, 01/27/2014 - 7:24pm
If predicted rain and snow arrives this week, U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will resume prescribed fire operations in several locations around the Lake Tahoe Basin beginning Tuesday, January 28, 2014.
Operations will take place on the South Shore in the Luther Pass Campground off of Highway 89 S, on the West Shore off of Bunker Drive near Tahoe City and off of Chalet Road near Alpine Meadows ski area, and on the East Shore off of Easy Street on Lower Kingsbury Grade.
Operations may continue through the weekend, weather, staffing, and conditions permitting.
Prescribed Burns on East Shore and Luther Pass Areas
Submitted by paula on Tue, 12/10/2013 - 7:21am
U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will begin prescribed fire operations off of Highway 89 South near Luther Pass tomorrow, December 10, 2013. Crews will begin burning a 29 acre unit across the highway from the Luther Pass overflow campground and will burn as much as weather and conditions allow. Operations may continue through the week. In addition, crews will begin prescribed fire operations on a small unit off of Highway 28 on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe. Crews will burn approximately two acres on the east side of the highway between Secret and Skunk harbors near Bliss Pond.
Prescribed Fire Operations Continue This Week on the Lake Tahoe West Shore
Submitted by paula on Sun, 12/08/2013 - 9:17pm
U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will begin prescribed fire operations south of Homewood on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe on Monday, December 9, 2013. Crews will burn approximately five to 10 acres per day on the south side of Meeks Meadow near Meeks Bay Avenue. Weather and conditions permitting, operations will continue through the week and possibly the weekend. In addition, operations will continue on lower Kingsbury Grade near Meadow Lane. Crews have completed five acres and will continue to burn until they complete the 19 acre unit.
Prescribed Burns in South Lake Tahoe Resume Wednesday
Submitted by paula on Wed, 12/04/2013 - 7:45am
There will be prescribed fire operations on Kingsbury Grade and at Emerald Bay resume on Wednesday, December 4. The U.S. Forest Service fuels management team announced that crews will burn about 10 acres per day on Lower Kingsbury near Meadow Lane, weather permitting. Operations are expected to continue through the weekend. In the Emerald Bay area near Inspiration Point, crews will burn approximately three acres over one or two days.
Prescribed Fire Operations This Week in Taylor Creek and Meeks Bay Areas
Submitted by paula on Sat, 11/09/2013 - 11:06pm
Prescribed fire operations by the U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will focus on Lake Tahoe’s South and West Shores on Tuesday, November 12, 2013. Weather and conditions permitting, operations will take place near Glenridge Parkway at Meeks Bay and near Taylor Creek on Highway 89 across from the Sno-Park. The Meeks Bay unit total is 42 acres and crews may burn as much of the unit as possible. At the Taylor Creek unit, crews will burn 10 acres and both operations are likely to continue through the end of the week and possibly through the weekend.
California Air National Guard helps fight Rim Fire
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 08/30/2013 - 4:56pm
Event Date:
August 26, 2013 (All day) MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. — Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing have performed more than 400 bucket drops resulting in over 188,000 gallons of water dropped since they began fighting the Rim Fire August 20.
Wildfires raging in Tuolumne County continue to threaten lives, property and critical infrastructure. Two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and aircrews have been actively battling the Rim Fire since August 20. The airmen continue to fly out of the Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento, Calif. to support the state's wildfire response efforts.
Region Fire Updates; smoke still expected in the Lake Tahoe basin
Submitted by paula on Sat, 08/24/2013 - 7:41pm
8/30/13 6:50 am update: South Lake Tahoe enjoyed a blue sky day on Thursday but smoke from fhe Rim Fire filled the basin by afternoon. A low pressure system moving in from the northwest may cause more smoke to make its way into the area today as winds are coming from the southwest. The Rim fire has now burned 201,894 acres and is now 32% contained. Firefighters will be constructing contingency lines in advance of the communities of Tuolumne City, Twain Harte, and Long Barn.
Protect Yourself from Smoke during Wildfires
Submitted by paula on Fri, 08/23/2013 - 9:32am
During fire season, the air we breathe can become impacted by wildfire smoke. Fine particles in smoke can cause health problems, especially for children, older people and those with respiratory conditions.
Residents who see or smell smoke should consider taking these precautionary measures:
1. Healthy people should delay strenuous exercise.
2. Children and elderly people should consider avoiding outdoor activities, particularly prolonged outdoor exertion.
3. People with health-related illnesses, particularly respiratory problems, should remain indoors.
American Fire and Rim Fire Combined Effects of Smoke Impact Region From Placerville to South Lake Tahoe
Submitted by newsroom on Thu, 08/22/2013 - 11:49am
Rim Fire Northern California Smoke Information Updates
CAL FIRE PIO Berlant, @CALFIRE_PIO - California Statewide Fire Summary: Nearly 8,000 firefighters remain on the frontlines as nearly a dozen major wildfires continue to burn. Yesterday, CAL FIRE crews contained the Swedes Fire that burned in Butte County, just as a new fire ignited on the Fort Hunter Liggett Military Installation.
Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program highlighted by 15 years of Achievement
Submitted by Editor on Thu, 08/15/2013 - 4:43pm
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is marking this year’s Lake Tahoe Summit by highlighting the Environmental Improvement Program’s 15 years of achievement restoring and protecting Lake Tahoe’s fragile ecosystem.
Launched at the 1997 Presidential Forum at Lake Tahoe by then President Bill Clinton, and Vice President Al Gore, the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) is a partnership of more than 50 federal, state, and local agencies, private interests, and the Washoe Tribe.
California, Nevada lawmakers introduce $415 million federal bill to restore Lake Tahoe
Submitted by Editor on Thu, 08/01/2013 - 2:30pm
Nevada Senator Harry Reid today co-sponsored, along with Senator Dean Heller (R-NV), and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act that was introduced today by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act continues the federal commitment to Lake Tahoe by authorizing $415 million over 10 years to improve Lake Tahoe’s water clarity, reduce risks from catastrophic wildfires, combat invasive species and restore and protect the environment in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Fire restrictions begin July 1 in the Lake Tahoe Basin
Submitted by Editor on Tue, 06/25/2013 - 1:11pmUPDATE: Beginning Monday, July 1, fire restrictions will go into effect in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Campfires and charcoal barbecues will be restricted to designated recreation sites, and other fire-related activities will be prohibited until the end of fire season.
“Weather patterns this winter and spring are similar to conditions in 2007, the year of the Angora Fire,” said Fire Prevention Officer, Beth Brady. “Even with the rain we have received, at this point, it won’t alleviate this summer’s high risk of wildfires.”
Fire restrictions begin June 17 on West Slope, July 1 in Lake Tahoe Basin
Submitted by Editor on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 1:58pmWith tinder-dry conditions after one of the driest winters on record, California fire officials will suspend burning permits along the West Slope and Eldorado National Forest beginning June 17. Fire restrictions in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin July 1.
CAL FIRE’s Amador-El Dorado- Sacramento Unit will suspend door-yard burning permits and the Forest Service will begin fire restrictions in portions of Eldorado National Forest.
PG&E settles with feds for $50.5 million over forest fires on public land
Submitted by Editor on Thu, 06/06/2013 - 3:06pmThe federal government settled two lawsuits Thursday seeking recovery against PG&E and its contractors for wildfires that scorched thousands of acres of national forest land in 2004 and 2008.
The fires — known as the “Power Fire” and the “Whiskey Fire” — collectively burned more than 18,000 acres of national forest. These settlements, totaling $50.5 million, are a significant step toward restoring the precious national resources destroyed by the fires, said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner.
Lahontan water board OKs long-term South Lake Tahoe tree project to reduce fire danger
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 04/26/2013 - 2:25pmFire fuel reduction plans and forest thinning projects amounting to about 10,000 acres around South Lake Tahoe have been approved by the Lahontan Regional Water Board. Plans will get underway this summer with efforts lasting anywhere between eight to 10 years, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The large-scale project has been in the works since the 2007 Angora fire where 254 homes burned.
The following is a joint news release from the U.S. Forest Service and the Lahontan Board.
Pine Nut reseeding set to start next week
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 01/07/2013 - 12:08pmA record year for wildfires in the Pine Nut Mountains has prompted several agencies to join forces to reseed damaged areas.Bureau of Land Management Spokeswoman Lisa Ross said aerial seeding will b...
Sen. Reid announces $2.7 million Homeland Security grant for Tahoe-Douglas Fire District
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 01/04/2013 - 3:21pmNevada Sen. Harry Reid announced Friday that the Tahoe-Douglas Fire District will receive a $2,701,896 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program.
The SAFER grant funds will be used to increase the number of firefighters, as well as to develop better emergency readiness capabilities.
County implements new emergency notification system
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 12/06/2012 - 5:59pmThe El Dorado County Sheriff's Office has put a new Emergency Notification System in place to alert county residents about public health and public safety emergencies such as wildfires, hazardous m...
New stunning nighttime views of Earth unveiled
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 12/06/2012 - 10:12amSAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Twinkling city lights, raging wildfires and colorful auroras are lit up in new dazzling nighttime views of the Earth.The new images released Wednesday are courtesy of a newl...
With cold weather here, Forest Service urges residents to properly dispose fireplace ash
Submitted by Editor on Mon, 11/05/2012 - 10:37amWith cold weather upon us, the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit reminds residents to use caution when disposing of woodstove or fireplace ashes. Ashes can remain live and capable of starting a fire for several days, even when they appear to be out.
Sirota: A Republican's rare chance to be a real leader
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 11/02/2012 - 6:00amIn light of horrific wildfires, an historic drought and now the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy, the political understatement of the year has to be President Barack Obama's recent comment to...
Northern California fire complex doubles in size
Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 09/06/2012 - 10:09amWILLIAMS, Calif. (AP) - State fire officials are planning to bring in more resources to battle a pair of wildfires in Northern California that doubled in size overnight and is threatening nearly tw...
Firefighters confront wildfires across California
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 3:22pmUKIAH, Calif. (AP) - Firefighters battled several wildfires Monday burning across California, including an 800-acre blaze that prompted the evacuation of a campground in the Sierra Nevada.About 260...
Study challenges views about Western forest fires
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/23/2012 - 10:31amRENO, Nev. - Scientists using field notes from surveys first conducted by the government before the Civil War believe they've gained a better understanding of how Western wildfires behaved historic...
Tahoe/Truckee officials on alert as hundreds of lightning strikes pelt region
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/23/2012 - 9:54amTAHOE/TRUCKEE - Officials are on high alert as spotty thunderstorms - and the lightning-induced wildfires that can spark from them - continue to threaten the region.As of 6 a.m. Monday, 571 ligh...
