Tahoe fire agencies gear up for 2022 wildfire season with prevention, awareness campaign

As California and Nevada enter a third year of drought, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is leveling up the region’s preparedness efforts by implementing the Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Campaign. The campaign will run from May through October, highlighting the message: “Tahoe Wildfire Ready.”

All counties in the Lake Tahoe Basin, along with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, will emphasize their support for the campaign through the adoption of proclamations during the month of May. The months that follow will focus on fire preparedness and prevention topics, such as defensible space, evacuation preparedness, wildfire prevention and more.

In 2021, California experienced another record-setting fire year. The Caldor Fire was a wake-up call to many and a reminder that the Lake Tahoe Basin is a fire-prone landscape. This year, agencies are working with communities to stay prepared by asking residents and visitors to take responsibility when living and recreating in high fire-hazard areas.

By preparing now and throughout the season, residents and visitors can save precious time in the event of an evacuation by signing up for county emergency alerts, packing a go-bag, and crafting a family evacuation plan ahead of time. Residents can increase the odds of their homes and neighborhoods surviving a wildfire by managing vegetation around their property and retrofitting their structures to be more resistant to embers.

“The Caldor fire impacted us all, and it highlighted that preparing for wildfire is crucial,” said Amanda Milici with Tahoe Resource Conservation District. “We need to continue that momentum and ensure we maintain our defensible space, continue retrofitting our homes to withstand embers, and build relationships with our neighbors to develop Fire Adapted Communities. Living in this fire-prone landscape is a shared responsibility, and we all play a role.”

To watch last year’s Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Campaign virtual workshops to learn about fire-resistant landscaping, fire and weather, prevention efforts being taken by utility companies, the impacts of wildfire smoke, home hardening, and the benefits of prescribed fire, visit https://www.tahoelivingwithfire.com/resources/webinars-and-virtual-workshops-2/.

For information and resources to help prepare for wildfire, or to locate your local fire district, visit www.tahoelivingwithfire.com and follow @tahoelwf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.