wildfire prevention

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - There will be two new members of the South Lake Tahoe City Council after the November 3 election. In the coming weeks the pubic will have chances to hear from the candidates both via zoom, in print and possibly in person. Below are eight of the ten candidates responses to questions asked by the local #IRunWithMaud group.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities is presenting their third "Tip of the Week," an ongoing series for the public since they are unable to perform their normal community outreach services.

Below are tips, lessons, videos, and hands-on activities for the children in the home.

This Week's Tip: Talking to Kids About Wildfire

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On March 3, 2020, voters in the Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) boundaries will decide if Measure B should pass, a measure that would give the fire department funds for much-needed equipment, apparatuses, and supplies.

The 2019 legislative year for California has come to an end and Gov. Gavin Newsom wrapped u the session with signing several bills. His first year of office saw 870 new laws and 172 vetoed proposals.

The following is the second in a series of stories on being a community that is prepared for wildfire.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Vegetation fires are natural and were normal before policies were created to suppress them for fear of uncontrollable and destructive wildfires as seen in the late 1800s. When some of the first residents arrived in Lake Tahoe between the Gold Rush and Silver Strike, it was common to see just six-seven Jeffrey Pines per acre. Trees in the Tahoe Basin were clear cut to provide the lumber for building mines under Virginia City.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The City of South Lake Tahoe has launched its new
newsletter - "At Lake Level." The monthly newsletter is written by City Manager Frank Rush and prepared by Communications Manager Chris Fiore in an effort to keep the community well informed about City issues and initiatives.

New Leadership

Warming temperatures pose major challenges for Lake Tahoe's environment, communities, and the outdoor recreation that drives its economy. Research by University of California, Davis's Tahoe Environmental Research Center, University of Nevada, Reno, and Desert Research Institute clearly shows Lake Tahoe is warming.

The Fourth of July holiday period is upon us and signifies the busiest time of year in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) asks residents and visitors to keep the following tips in mind to help everyone enjoy a safe and fun holiday.

To promote public safety, the annual alcohol ban will be in effect at the following locations:

· Nevada Beach on July 4, from 6 a.m. until midnight.

For 20 years, every August we’ve paused to reflect on our collective commitment to Lake Tahoe’s restoration at the Lake Tahoe Summit. This year, with U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein hosting the event, the issue of climate change will be front and center. Climate change poses incredible challenges for Tahoe, affecting not only the health of its famously cold, clear waters, but the health of its expansive forests and what is to become of our $5 billion outdoor recreation-based economy.

This June is wildfire awareness month at Lake Tahoe. It also marks the 10th anniversary of the Angora Fire, the most destructive wildland fire in memory at Tahoe.

An illegal and abandoned campfire started the Angora Fire on June 24, 2007. The fire quickly spread toward Meyers, stoked by strong winds and forests overgrown with hazardous fuels. In a few days, the fire burned 3,100 acres and destroyed 254 homes.

The House and Senate have agreed to include the bipartisan Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the final bicameral Water Resources Development Act, titled the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, Nevada Sen. Dean Heller announced Monday.

The news comes just hours after Vail Resorts and the many members of the public made pleas for this to happen.

June is wildfire awareness month at Lake Tahoe. And nine years later, the 2007 Angora Fire remains a vivid remember that wildfire is one of the greatest threats facing our environment, our homes, and our businesses. We must prepare accordingly.

Our region continues to take important steps to manage that wildfire threat, improve the health of our forests, and create fire adapted communities that are prepared for the next wildfire at Tahoe. But there is more work to do.

The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2015, a bipartisan bill sponsored by Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on Wednesday.

The legislation, created alongside senators Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Harry Reid, D-Nevada and Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., provides federal, state, and local partners important tools to reduce wildfire threats, improve water clarity, jumpstart innovative infrastructure projects, and combat invasive species.

Learn how you can be fire safe in your home and community at the Wildfire Safety Expos in South Lake Tahoe on Saturday, June 20.

Agencies will be on hand to provide information on creating a home evacuation plan,preparing for fire, creating defensible space around your property and more.

The expo will be at the TJ Maxx parking lot at the "Y" from 12:00 p.m. to 3 p.m.

If you cannot attend, visit their website for more information.

As supervisor of Lake Valley’s wildfire prevention program for almost 10 years, I have witnessed a great change in our community’s awareness and understanding of our biggest hazard. However, I can honestly say that we have so much more work to do. For less than $10 a month, you can both safeguard our community and move our economy forward. Wildfire prevention is cheaper than suppression. Residents will continue to receive free curbside chipping. Local tree and roofing contractors will continue to benefit through rebates.

The Lake Valley Fire Protection District's Wildfire Prevention Program has organized a FREE chipping day for City of South Lake Tahoe residents on October 18. With the help of the California Conservation Corp and cooperation from South Lake Tahoe Fire Department, residents can get help with defensible space and slash removal.

In order to participate in the chipping service, homeowners must follow these guidelines:
• Place slash and brush piles adjacent to a driveway or street so the chipper crew can readily have access.

The busy 4th of July holiday is just a week away, and with Lake Tahoe's increased crowds, excess traffic, fireworks and dry conditions, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are asking everyone to use caution.

In order to create defensible apace from wildfires, members of Temple Bat Yam, Lake Valley Fire Protection District and the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department held a community clean-up day for the property around the synagogue on May 18, 2014.

The collaborative effort is an example of working together to produce Fire Adapted Communities, which are communities located in fire-prone areas that require little assistance from firefighters during a wildfire.

If you're interested in scheduling a Wildfire Prevention effort in your neighborhood, call the SLTFD at 530-542-6160.

Headed to Lake Tahoe for the Independence Day holiday? The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit asks residents and visitors to help protect public safety and the environment, and keep wildfire prevention in mind while celebrating.

Possession of fireworks of any kind, including sparklers, is illegal in the Lake Tahoe Basin and campfires are not permitted on National Forest beaches or in the general forest. For those planning to barbecue on the beach, the Forest Service requires the use of portable gas stoves.

Residents and visitors are urged to help protect public safety and the environment during the Fourth of July holiday by keeping wildfire prevention in mind.
The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management unit reminds folks that having fireworks of any kind — and sparklers are considered fireworks — is illegal in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Campfires are not permitted on Forest Service beaches or in the general forest. For Wednesday, July 4, 2012, only, personal barbecues are allowed at Nevada, Pope and Baldwin beaches but are not permitted on any other Forest Service beaches or in the general forest.