Prescribed fire operations continue at Lake Tahoe into 2015

The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and the U.S. Forest Service will continue prescribed fire operations this week on Kingsbury Grade near Buchanan Road, Ski Run Boulevard near Heavenly, Luther Pass and Spooner Summit. Operations will last through the next several weeks as conditions allow.

Winter has brought cooler temperatures and precipitation, which favor prescribed burning. Each operation follows a prescribed fire burn plan, which considers temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. This information is used to decide when and where to burn. The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team gives as much advance notice as possible before burning, but some operations may be conducted on short notice.

Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after an ignition depending on the project size. Agencies coordinate with state and local county air pollution control districts and monitors weather conditions closely prior to prescribed fire ignition. They wait for favorable conditions that will carry smoke up and out of the Basin.

Crews also conduct test burns before igniting a larger area, to verify how effectively fuels are consumed how smoke will travel.

Before prescribed fire operations are conducted, agencies may post road signs around affected areas and make email or phone notifications. The Forest Service updates the local fire information line at 530-543-2600, #6. To receive prescribed fire notifications, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us. For more information on prescribed fire and smoke management tips, visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/RxFireOps.

Project Information:
Project Name: Edgewood
· Responsible Agency/Contact: Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, Keegan Schafer (775) 848-6277
· Descriptive Location: South of Kingsbury Grade, nearest cross street Buchanan Road
· Type of burn: Hand piles
· Total Acreage: 40
· Planned Ignition: 12/31/2014 through 01/03/2015 as conditions permit
· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 5 days. Piles will be allowed to burn out.
· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: East, northeast
· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible from Stateline, Round Hill, Kingsbury Grade

Project Name: Spooner CTL
· Responsible Agency/Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Kyle Jacobson (530) 543-2658
· Legal Location: T15N, R18E, Sec 11
· Descriptive Location: Hwy 28
· Type of burn: Hand/machine piles
· Total Acreage: 84
· Planned Ignition: 01/06/2015 and continuing as conditions permit
· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 10 days of burn down time
· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/northeast
· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible from Incline Village, Kings Beach and West Shore communities.

Project Name: Heavenly ULM
· Responsible Agency/Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Kyle Jacobson (530) 543-2658
· Legal Location: T12/13N, R18E, Sec 1, 34
· Descriptive Location: Ski Run Blvd. near Heavenly
· Type of burn: Hand piles
· Total Acreage: 70.25
· Planned Ignition: 01/06/2015 and continuing as conditions permit
· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 10 days of burn down time
· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: North/northeast
· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible lake wide.

Project Name: Luther 101
· Responsible Agency/Contact: U.S. Forest Service, Kyle Jacobson (530) 543-2658
· Legal Location: T11N, R18E, Sec 23
· Descriptive Location: Luther Pass
· Type of burn: Hand piles
· Total Acreage: 100
· Planned Ignition: 01/06/2015 and continuing as conditions permit
· Duration of Ignition and Smoke Production: 10 days of burn down time
· Estimated Direction of Smoke Travel: East/northeast
· Communities or Smoke Sensitive Areas: Smoke may be visible from Christmas Valley and Echo Summit.

About the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team
The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team consists of representatives of Tahoe Basin fire agencies, Cal Fire, Nevada Division of Forestry and related state agencies, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the USDA Forest Service, conservation districts from both states, the California Tahoe Conservancy and the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Their mission is to protect lives, property and the environment within the Lake Tahoe Basin from wildfire by implementing prioritized fuels reduction projects and educating the public on becoming a Fire Adapted Community. For more information, visit www.tahoefft.org