Charcoal use ban lifted in South Lake Tahoe; Burn permits now available for other areas

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Effective Friday, November 1, South Lake Tahoe Fire Chief Jim Drennan has lifted the ban on using charcoal for barbeques in the City of South Lake Tahoe.

Residents may continue to use propane, pellets, liquid petroleum, and now charcoal, for outside cooking.

There is never any open flame burning with wood allowed in the City limits of South Lake Tahoe at any time of the year, except in the designated fire rings at Campground by the Lake.

In the rest of El Dorado County, the open burning ban has been lifted. Also effective on Friday, November 1, CAL FIRE Amador-El Dorado Unit Chief
Mike Blankenheim formally lifted the burn permit suspension in the Amador-El Dorado Unit State Responsibility Areas of Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, and San Joaquin counties.

CAL FIRE burn permits are required and are available online at https://burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/. Those possessing current and valid agriculture and residential burn permits can resume burning on permissible burn days. These permits are not available to those living in the South Lake Tahoe city limits.

As winter approaches, the threat of wildfire diminishes but is always present. Make sure you have good defensible space around your property so your home has the best chance of survival during a wildfire. Five feet of clearance around your home is required.

Learn more about Wildfire Safety at https://www.tahoelivingwithfire.com/