Tahoe Douglas Fire offers free ash cans to prevent fires

Two Kingsbury Grade area residences sustained major damage recently due to the incorrect disposal of hot ashes in the back yard of one of homes.

A 2014 fire in the northern end of Washoe Valley Drive Fire destroyed 29 homes, charred 3,177 acres and caused the death of an elderly woman after a man improperly discarded hot fireplace ashes.

Let ash cool and then dispose of it in a safe manner. In order to help residents with this potentially lifesaving task, the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District has partnered with Kingsbury Hardware to provide free ash cans to homeowners in the district for safe disposal of hot ashes from their wood burning appliances.

To obtain a free ash can, homeowners can log on to Tahoefire.org under PREVENTION and print out an Ash Can Voucher. Vouchers are also available at Station 23 in Round Hill across from Safeway. Completed vouchers can be exchanged for an ash can at Kingsbury Hardware while supplies last.

Full ash cans can be dumped at TDFPD Station #23, 193 Elks Point Road, Zephyr Cove, in the rear parking lot in a bright red dumpster.