fire chief

A life-saving thanks to Tahoe Douglas Fire Chief Ben Sharit and his entire team for hosting a successful series of blood drives. I spoke with the chief earlier this year about the lack of a consist...

Investigators looking into the cause and origin of the fire that destroyed two South Lake Tahoe homes last week have determined that the fire was accidental, according to Lake Valley Fire Protection District Fire Chief Gareth Harris.

With the comment period ending Thursday, August 30, the newly formed Sierra Pro-Access Group is asking outdoor enthusiasts to write against a U.S. Forest Service alternative plan that proposes creating new wilderness areas that would shut down some of the locals' most beloved recreation areas on public land around the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The economic effects on the Lake Tahoe Basin could be devastating, the group says, shutting out what clearly has been public access for not only snowmobiles, but mountain bikes, dirt bikes, and 4-wheel ATVs.

The Forest Service fire chief for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is suspending residential burning, also known as "dooryard" burning, effective today, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, through the remainder of fire season.
The ban applies to debris burning on private, state and federal lands of El Dorado and Placer counties in the Lake Tahoe Basin, according to a news release.
Residential debris burning is already banned within the South Lake Tahoe city limits, and in both the Tahoe Douglas and North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection districts.

View Washoe Drive Fire (1/19/2012) in a larger map

UPDATE 10PM: Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez said tonight the Washoe Drive Fire has consumed and estimated 3,700 acres, burned at least 20 structures and has resulted in one fatality.
Hernandez would not go into details of how the person died. He said the 250+ firefighters on the scene have stopped the forward progress of the fire. He said the fire started in the East Lake area, and then followed the Highway 395 corridor north, where it was stopped just south of Galena High School.
Highway 395 will be closed until further notice due to damage to debris and damage to guard rails, power poles and other item near the roadway. Gov. Brian Sandoval told state workers who commute by this route to stay home Friday. Evacuations have been lifted for the Galena area. About 2,000 people are still unable to go back to their homes tonight.
Hernandez said firefighters saved more than 800 homes that were in the path of this destructive fire.
The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.
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UPDATE 9PM: Reno Fire officials report forward progress on Washoe Drive fire has stopped. Fire behavior is moderating due to diminishing winds, lowering termperatures and increasing humidity/moisture moving over the Sierra Nevada/Carson Range. Fire burns more than 3,000 acres with zero containment; 10,000 evacuated; no count on home and structure losses.

U.S. Highway-395 remains closed between 1.8 miles north of Carson City to the Junction of SR 341/431 (Mt. Rose Junction) in south Reno. U.S. Highway 395 could remained closed on Friday (1/20) through the morning commute - make alternate plans.
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At 4:40 pm Thursday, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, under his constitutional and statutory authority, made a state declaration of emergency which qualifies local governments for federal assistance associated with this event. The National Guard is on standby at the request of Sandoval and Washoe County. California has also provided fire assistance as part of a Governor to Governor agreement with Jerry Brown.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been and are being affected by this fire,” Sandoval said. “Declaring a state of emergency ensures that every resource from the local, state and federal level is available to assist. The Nevada Division of Forestry and the Department of Public Safety have also engaged with local responders.”
Additionally, Nevada has been approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG). As a result, Nevada is eligible for up to 75 percent funding assistance for eligible costs. The request was made by the Nevada Division of Forestry on behalf of Washoe County at the onset of the fire.

More below the fold.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District recently announced the appointment of local business leader Mike Bradford to the Board of Trustees."I'm really looking forward to working with Fire Chief B...

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Officials say a wind-whipped wildfire in Reno has destroyed 20 homes, injured several people and forced evacuations.Reno Fire Chief Michael Hernandez tells the Reno Gazette-Jou...

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District has promoted Ben Sharit to fire chief. Sharit started with the district in 1985 as a firefighter/paramedic, rising through the ranks in the last 26 years. He sta...

A natural gas leak, reported at around 8:50 this morning, has prompted the evacuation of a small area around the 200 block of S.R. 207 Kingsbury Grade, according to Tahoe Douglas Fire Chief Ben Sharit. The initial report came in from the contracting firm Peak Construction. It was reported as a 2-inch gas line leak. The leak was secured quickly by crews and Southwest Gas has arrived, Sharit said. The evacuation area are buildings at 290 Kingsbury Grade near the 7-Eleven.

Update 2 p.m.: Fire crews have contained a fire that broke out this morning near Old Clear Creek Road near the top of Spooner Summit, and Highway 50 has reopened.
The fire was last reported to be about 1.5 acres in size, and there was one home in the area that was threatened. Light winds and cool temperatures helped firefighters get a handle on the blaze, with a helicopter dumping water to help out the hand crews on the ground.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District Chief Guy LeFever will retire Sept. 2 after nearly 33 years at the district.LeFever, 55, thanked fellow firefighters and district b...