Forest Service resumes fire operations at a dozen locations around Lake Tahoe

Joint fire operations by the Nevada Division of Forestry and U.S. Forest Service are resuming in the Lake Tahoe area.

Depnding on weather conditions, South Shore operations will take place on Gardner Mountain near STHS and off of Gardner Street, in Christmas Valley, Luther Pass near Grass Lake, on Ski Run Blvd. near Heavenly Valley, on lower Kingsbury near Easy Street, Logan Creek Drive and southwest of Meeks Bay. On the Northern half, activity will be seen in the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park north of Spooner Summmet off Hwy 28 and at Memorial Point near Sand Harbor.

Burning may take place for several weeks, depending on conditions.

Winter brings cooler temperatures and precipitation, which favor prescribed burning. Each operation follows a prescribed fire burn plan, which considers temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. This information is used to decide when and where to burn. The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT ) gives as much advance notice as possible before burning, but some operations may be conducted on short notice.

Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after an ignition depending on the project size. Agencies coordinate with state and local county air pollution control districts and monitors weather conditions closely prior to prescribed fire ignition. They wait for favorable conditions that will carry smoke up and out of the Basin. Crews also conduct test burns before igniting a larger area, to verify how effectively fuels are consumed how smoke will travel.