SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The U.S. Forest Service is scheduled to begin its fall prescribed fire program in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Depending on conditions, the following prescribed fire operations are scheduled to begin sometime between Oct. 1, 2026, and Oct. 25, pending all required approvals. We estimate this work will continue through fall and winter as weather, conditions, and staffing allow. We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.
Prescribed fires planned for the area include:
- Baldwin Rx, 40-acre understory burn in Baldwin Meadow near Baldwin Beach, El Dorado County, north of SR 89 near South Lake Tahoe
This area may close to the public for several days for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.
Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road.
We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled.
Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through our forest website, social media channels and the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team Prescribed Fire Map. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.
