SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Lukins Brothers Water Company(LBWC) has announcde that its service area has officially achieved Firewise USA® recognition, marking an important milestone in the company’s commitment to wildfire preparedness and community resilience.

The recognition encompasses LBWC’s 998 water connections and represents a community-wide effort to reduce wildfire risk before an emergency occurs.

For LBWC, becoming Firewise is about more than a designation. It is about bringing residents together to make the community safer.

“Wildfire resilience has to be a community effort,” said Jennifer Lukins, president and owner of Lukins Brothers Water Company. “We wanted to take an active role in helping our customers prepare, and becoming Firewise gives us a framework to continue that work together.”

The effort grew from increasing concerns about wildfire risk throughout the Tahoe Basin and the lasting impacts of fires such as the Caldor Fire. Rising insurance costs and the challenges facing communities in high-risk areas also highlighted the importance of taking action before the next fire.

As a water provider, LBWC recognizes that protecting critical infrastructure also means helping protect the neighborhoods and properties surrounding it. Through Firewise, the company is encouraging residents to focus on defensible space, vegetation management, education and preparedness.

With nearly 1,000 connections, individual actions can add up to meaningful community-wide protection.

Achieving Firewise recognition is only the beginning. LBWC plans to continue working with its customers and community partners on wildfire education, mitigation and preparedness.

“We’re a small water company, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make a big impact,” Lukins said. “We have an opportunity to bring people together and help our community become stronger and better prepared.”

“LBWC is proud to be among the first water utilities in the Tahoe Basin to achieve Firewise recognition and grateful to everyone who helped make it possible,” added Lukins. “This is not just a recognition of what our community has accomplished — it is a commitment to what comes next.”