Wildfires are burning in the Sierra Nevada and homeowners around Lake Tahoe must ensure they are prepared for wildfire by clearing hazardous fuels from their properties by creating defensible space.
“The snow we received this winter has been great, but with elevated levels of tree mortality and entering our fifth year of drought, our fire conditions still remain elevated,” said Chris Anthony, division chief at CAL FIRE, in a press release from the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team. “While our local, state, and federal firefighters are preparing for what is already proving to be a busy fire season, residents and visitors to the Tahoe Basin must also do their part and be ready.”
When a wildfire ignites, vegetation around homes and buildings can help feed the fire. Appropriately managing that vegetation and creating defensible space increases the chance a home or building will survive the wildfire. Properly managed vegetation also makes it much safer for firefighters to respond to extinguish structure fires.
Lake Tahoe residents are encouraged to work together and with their local fire protection agency to create defensible space throughout entire neighborhoods, according to the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team.
“Fire insurance is becoming increasingly more expensive and difficult to obtain in Lake Tahoe Basin communities,” said Michael Schwartz, fire chief at North Tahoe Fire Protection District. “I urge residents to not only complete their defensible space work, but to encourage their neighbors, HOAs and communities to engage with their fire agencies and the Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities. Only through making our communities fire adapted can we reduce our risk of catastrophic wildfire and keep our homes insurable.”
Local fire protection districts and fire departments around the Lake Tahoe Region offer defensible space inspections, curbside chipping and tree removal permits. They are ready to help people reduce wildfire risk and prepare for wildfire.
The U.S. Forest Service also offers defensible space programs for homes and private property adjacent to National Forest System lands. The Homeowner and Defensible Space and Fuels Reduction Stewardship Programs allow homeowners to work with the Forest Service to extend defensible space onto federal land in order to meet recommended clearance standards.
How to be prepared
- Contact your local fire protection agency for a defensible space consultation
- Know your evacuation routes. Do you have two ways out?
- Prepare your most precious items, pictures and heirlooms to be packed in short notice.
- Sign up for emergency alerts and know where to obtain accurate, up-to-date emergency information.
- Talk to your neighbors so they also prepare.
For more information, visit www.tahoefft.org and take the pledge to help fight wildfire threats in Tahoe by visiting thinkfirsttahoe.org. Think First Tahoe’s web site also features information and resources for communities throughout the Tahoe Basin.
This information was provided by the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team
Sign up to receive emergency notifications:
City of South Lake Tahoe | www.cityofslt.us/signup
El Dorado County | http://ready.edso.org/
Douglas County | https://douglascounty.onthealert.com/
Placer County | www.placer-alert.org
Town of Truckee | local.nixle.com
Washoe County | https://www.washoecounty.us/em/RegionalAlerts.php
Chipping information from Tahoe Basin fire districts
Download “Living With Fire: A Guide for the Homeowner”
Download the Town of Truckee’s “Family Disaster Preparedness Guide”
