Fall prescribed fire operations continue on Lake Tahoe’s West and South Shores

Release Date: Nov 18, 2013

Contact(s): Public Affairs, Cheva Heck (530) 543-2608, or Lisa Herron (530) 543-2815

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will begin prescribed fire operations off of Marshall Trail near South Lake Tahoe and on the West Shore near Tahoma on Tuesday, November 19, 2013.  Weather and conditions permitting, crew will burn approximately 10 acres per day on the west side of Tahoma.  Operations are expected to continue through the weekend.  In the Marshall Trail area, crews will burn approximately two acres per day over several days.

Smoke from these prescribed fire project areas can be expected and is normal.  Smoke from prescribed fire may continue for several days after the initial ignition.  Smoke that settles in low lying areas in the morning usually lifts out of the area during normal daytime heating.  All Prescribed fires are monitored regularly for burning and smoke dispersal and action is taken to mitigate concerns as they arise.

Fall and winter bring rain, snow and cooler temperatures, which are ideal for prescribed fire operations.  All prescribed fire projects are conducted in accordance with an approved prescribed fire burn plan.  Burn plans describe specific conditions under which operations are conducted including the weather, number of personnel, and opportunities to minimize smoke impacts.  This information is used to decide when and where to burn. 

The Forest Service makes every effort to conduct prescribed fire operations during weather patterns that carry smoke away from communities.  Smoke-sensitive residents should consider staying indoors and keeping doors, windows and outside vents closed.  This summer’s wildfires serve as a reminder of the importance of fuels reduction and that smoke produced during a prescribed fire is less intense and of shorter duration than that of a wildfire.  For more information on prescribed fire and smoke management tips, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/RxFireOps.

Forest Service staff will post road signs around the areas affected by the prescribed fire, send email notifications, and update the local fire information line at 530-543-2600, #6.  To receive prescribed fire notifications, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.

To learn more about the efforts to reduce wildfire risks in the Tahoe Basin read the Lake Tahoe Basin Multi-jurisdictional Fuel Reduction Plan found at http://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm9_045864.pdf 

Visit an excellent web site and learn about Prescribed Fire vs. Wildfire at: http://www.smokeybear.com/prescribed-fires.asp.