Rim Fire

Lawmakers from Nevada and California met Monday on the shores of Lake Tahoe to discuss how to protect a national treasure as it faces continued threats to water clarity, invasive species, wildfire and drought.

Ever since President Bill Clinton held the first meeting in South Lake Tahoe in 1997, the annual focus of the Lake Tahoe Summit is to protect what Mark Twain called "the fairest picture the whole world affords."

The El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society presents Before and After the Flames: Fire, Forest and Climate Change in the Sierra Nevada, a talk by Dr. Hugh D. Safford, Senior Vegetation Ecologist for the US Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region (including California, Hawaii and Pacific Islands) and Dr. Becky Estes, ecologist with the the US Forest Service, Tuesday, January 27th, 7pm at the Planning Commission Meeting Room, Building C of the County Office Buildings, 2850 Fairlane Court in Placerville. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Air show officials have decided to drop the $10 entrance fee and offer free admission to all attendees for the 25th Annual Lake in the Sky Air Show this Saturday, September 20th from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. at Tahoe Valley Airport in South Lake Tahoe.

Last year's air show was canceled due to heavy smoke from the Rim Fire. Officials are monitoring the King Fire's smoke and movement, but at this time there are no flight closures and the aerial performances and all on ground activities are still going to occur.

This year’s show which will includes:

Proactive forest management activities can reduce high-severity fire by up to 75%, save up to three times the cost of fighting forest fires and bring added benefits to people, water and wildlife according to a study released today.

The City of Berkeley's camp at Echo Lake, located at the top of Echo Summit just west of South Lake Tahoe, has long been a tradition for many families to visit and vacation.

It's also been one of the lowest cost family camp bay area families could attend, but that may be history after Tuesday night's Berkeley City Council meeting.

The risky measures taken by firefighters to save a stand of giant trees standing in the way of the third-largest blaze in California history worked. Firefighters set back fires to save Yosemite’s Rockefeller, Merced and Tuolumne groves of giant sequoias and giant pines. The tallest sugar pine, 264 ft, lived according to the Sugar Pine Foundation.

In other Rim Fire News, the fire is still burning north of Yosemite. it is now 92% contained and has burned 257,135 acres (402 square miles) to date.

The Lake Tahoe basin still saw small amounts of smoke during the day yesterday, proof that the Rim Fire is still active.

The Rim Fire continues to burn though the fire burns in interior areas that have been contained for over a week. The fire has burned 255,560 acres so far and containment is still projected for September 20.

9/4/13 7 am update: The Rim Fire has consumed 237,231 acres and s now 80% contained. Evacuation orders in Tuolumne County have been lifted.

Clearing skies above Lake Tahoe this morning as the Rim Fire is now 75% contained. Cooler temperatures and higher humidity helped firefighters gain on the fire which has now consumed 235,841 acres of timber in the Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest.

MOFFETT FEDERAL AIRFIELD, Calif. — Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing have performed more than 400 bucket drops resulting in over 188,000 gallons of water dropped since they began fighting the Rim Fire August 20.

Wildfires raging in Tuolumne County continue to threaten lives, property and critical infrastructure. Two HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters and aircrews have been actively battling the Rim Fire since August 20. The airmen continue to fly out of the Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento, Calif. to support the state's wildfire response efforts.

Time-lapse photography shows various perspectives of the 2013 Rim Fire, as viewed from Yosemite National Park.

The first part of this video is from the Crane Flat Helibase. The fire is currently burning in wilderness and is not immediately threatening visitors or employees.

The second half of the video is from Glacier Point, showing Yosemite Valley, and how little the smoke from the fire has impacted the Valley. - Yosemite National Park

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in the Sierra, Northern California and Nevada. This report is for the week of Aug. 28 through Labor Day. Don't forget, California's second free day of fishing without a license will be Saturday, Sept. 7.

8/30/13 6:50 am update: South Lake Tahoe enjoyed a blue sky day on Thursday but smoke from fhe Rim Fire filled the basin by afternoon. A low pressure system moving in from the northwest may cause more smoke to make its way into the area today as winds are coming from the southwest. The Rim fire has now burned 201,894 acres and is now 32% contained. Firefighters will be constructing contingency lines in advance of the communities of Tuolumne City, Twain Harte, and Long Barn.

During fire season, the air we breathe can become impacted by wildfire smoke. Fine particles in smoke can cause health problems, especially for children, older people and those with respiratory conditions.

Residents who see or smell smoke should consider taking these precautionary measures:

1. Healthy people should delay strenuous exercise.
2. Children and elderly people should consider avoiding outdoor activities, particularly prolonged outdoor exertion.
3. People with health-related illnesses, particularly respiratory problems, should remain indoors.