forest

Nevada wildlife biologists released a three-plus year old male black bear back into the forest near the top of Mt. Rose Summit on Monday morning after capturing him Sunday in Incline Village at Lake Tahoe.

I just returned from a trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota. While Mt Rushmore was impressive, the amount of dead trees in the otherwise beautiful forests was depressing. They were everywhere. In addition, there were huge slash piles stacked in the forest. It was ugly and sad to see the extent of the damage.

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, which includes federal, state and local fire and land management agencies in the Lake Tahoe Basin, will begin their fall prescribed fire operations as early as next week, weather permitting.

A controlled burn operation northwest of Carson City that began earlier this week and brought dense smoke into Carson City overnight will continue through Saturday with less smoke expected Thursday night, according to the Nevada Division of Forestry.

Plaques bearing the names of four firefighters who died this year will be added to those of other Nevada firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The names will be added at the Nevada Firefighters’ Memorial on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, 10 a.m. in Carson City.

With calm winds and the threat of rain now passed, the Nevada Division of Forestry is conducting a prescribed burn in the Little Valley area north of Carson City, about three miles west of Washoe Lake and 2.5 miles east of Lake Tahoe.
The burn operation began Tuesday and is expected to continue for three to four days.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will soon begin the process of closing recreational facilities around the Lake Tahoe Basin for the winter season.

The Lake Tahoe Basin saw continued environmental improvement over the last four years, but faces major challenges from climate change, according to a draft 2015 Threshold Evaluation Report released by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

During the 2014 Kokanee salmon run at the U.S. Forest Service's Taylor Creek Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe, many visitors attempted to get a "selfie" with the bears who frequent the area in search of the colorful fish to add to their daily calorie intake before winter hibernation.

Fire restrictions on public land in Western Nevada, in place since June 30, will be lifted this Friday, Sept. 30, agency managers announced Wednesday. The Carson City Fire Department, however, has no intention at this time of lifting fire restrictions within the city limits.

A fire near Spooner Lake on Tuesday afternoon brought out multiple agencies and the two SuperScoopers from the Lake Tahoe Airport. The quick response kept the fire at just over 1/2 acre before being contained.

With Red Flag conditions existing at the time, engines and crews from the US Forest Service, Cal Fire, Tahoe Douglas Fire, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and BLM all responded to the Spooner Lake State Park after receiving the call at 3:58 p.m.

UPDATE TUESDAY: Carson City's air quality is in the "moderate" category due to smoke from the Owens River Fire that is burning in Mono County north of Mammoth Lakes.
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Carson City is experiencing hazy skies due to smoke from the Owens River Fire burning east of Highway 395, seven miles north of Mammoth Lakes in Mono County.

As of early Monday afternoon, air quality in Carson City was in the "good" range but further south it has been listed as "moderate." It is likely to change as the wind becomes stronger with an approaching cold front.

Whoa doggy, what a weekend. Dayton Valley Days, the Steampunk Ball and Parade in Virginia City, and the Western Heritage Festival at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park are just the tip of the iceberg. Whether it’s in Carson City, or just over the hill in one of our neighboring counties, you’ll find something fun to do. Read on.

SATURDAY:

The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2016. The bipartisan legislation provides federal, state and local partners important tools to reduce wildfire threats, improve water clarity, jumpstart innovative infrastructure projects, and combat invasive species.

The 2016 pine nut harvest season kicks off on lands managed by the Nevada Bureau of Land Management and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

If you’re looking for a fun-filled outdoor event for the whole family, look no further than this year’s Galena Fest, on Sunday, September 25, 2016. You’re invited to come and experience the thrill of competition, the creativity of art in the forest, and the groove of live music and scrumptious food under the towering Jeffrey pines in Galena Creek Park.

The Carson Valley Trails Association, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the Carson Valley Medical Center, will present its 8th annual Hike for Health Day on Saturday, September 17, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at The Nature Conservancy’s River Fork Ranch, located east of the Town of Genoa at 381 Genoa Lane.

The fourth fire to burn around South Lake Tahoe this week burned nearly three acres early Friday morning in heavy brush on a steep slope above Pioneer Trail.

President Barack Obama was cheered enthusiastically Wednesday at the 20th Lake Tahoe Summit, an annual gathering of federal and state leaders from California and Nevada who are dedicated to protecting the Sierra's crown jewel.

"I've never been here," President Obama told the crowd Wednesday at Harvey's Outdoor Arena in Stateline. "Its not that I didn't want to come, but nobody invited me."

The President quipped he's sure to return, "though my transportation won't be as nice."

Hello fellow anglers, many have been asking, where is the Naw report? I have been fishing in Oregon for the last couple weeks and did quit well. We caught green and blue ling cod and a few black sea bass out of Brooking's.

This week we note a recent death and two retirements. As Mr. Lincoln said: It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. As we mourn the passing of a man, we are reminded of the joy and goodness he brought us, and we also comfort his survivors. And in honoring the two retirees, we celebrate the values they exemplified and the inspiration and joy they provided.

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Rick Fineberg recently lost a long battle to esophageal cancer. He was admired and will be sorely missed by many.

GARDNERVILLE, Nev. — East Fork Fire Protection crews were called Tuesday afternoon to to a vegetation fire near Forest Hill Road and Five Creek Road in the Foothill area.

Crews on scene report a 1/4-acre fire burning in ground fuels at a slow rate of spread. Around 20-25 people on scene working on containment.

UPDATE SUNDAY: The Carson Fire remained at 50 acres Sunday morning, was 40 percent contained with full containment expected by 4 p.m. Sunday, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch.
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UPDATE 8PM: The Carson Fire burning southeast of Markleeville remains at 50 acres as of 8 p.m. Saturday and is burning uphill away from structures, according to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center. There are 160 firefighting personnel on this fire.

Lake Tahoe was at a crossroads in 1997. The lake’s famous water clarity, once measuring 100 feet, was declining year after year because of stormwater pollution from roads and developed areas and erosion from streams damaged by logging and cattle grazing.

Gov. Brian Sandoval has ordered flags in Nevada to half-staff on Wednesday in honor of a U.S. Forest Service firefighter who was killed as he battled a blaze, a spokeswoman for the governor announced.

UPDATE 8PM: The Shooting Fire is 40 percent contained with eyes on all fire lines from multiple fire agencies, said Carson City Fire Department spokeswoman Stacey Belt. Mapping has the fire size to be between 200 to 300 acres, she said. Several fire crews will remain on scene to close the containment gap.
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UPDATE 4:33PM: Curry Street is now open. Firefighters continue to attack the Shooting Fire via helicopters. The fire has quieted down since it became active earlier this afternoon, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch. So far around 200 acres have burned. The fire is moving in a southerly direction.
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UPDATE 4:05PM: Carson City Fire Department reports that evacuations have been lifted for the Shooting Fire in the Carson Colony area west of Curry Street in southwest Carson City. The fire is at around 200 acres in size and is burning away from structure, according to Stacey Belt, public information officer for Carson City Fire Department. No structures were burned however a fence was destroyed. No injuries have been reported.
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UPDATE: 3:10PM: The Shooting Fire is now at around 100 acres, and no structures have been damaged or destroyed, according to Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center. As of around 3 p.m. the fire was moving away from the threatened neighborhoods along the Carson Colony area west of Curry Street. No injuries have been reported. The air attack on the fire continues.

Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are invited to this fun, hands-on restoration day at the Angora Burn Area in South Lake Tahoe. By pitching in, you can make a direct impact in restoring the watershed habitats that surround Lake Tahoe.

The event is Sept. 10 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Parking will be limited. Participants are encouraged to carpool or, better still, to walk to ride a bike. Participants arriving on foot or by bicycle will receive a surprise reward.

The boat ramp at Cave Rock is officially closed as of today, Monday, for improvements while the Sand Harbor boat ramp will close Friday, August 5 due to low water conditions. This closure will prevent boats from being damaged during launching and also protect the end of launch lanes from harm.

UPDATE 3PM: Carson City Fire Department crews knocked down a brush fire that started just after 1:30 p.m. near Eagle Valley Golf Course off of Arrowhead. The fire burned between a half to 1 acre, said Carson City Fire Department Chief Bob Schreihans.
A fence caught on fire as well as a number of trees, which put up a large smoke plume. Also responding to the brush fire was a Forest Service crew that was in in the area as well as Central Lyon Fire Protection District. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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UPDATE 4:15PM: The Sierra Interagency Dispatch Center (SFIDC) in Minden reports the Rock Fire in the Red Rock area north of Reno is now 50 percent contained 1,500 acres.
The voluntary evacuation orders for about 50 residents in the area has been lifted, and those residents are being allowed to return to their homes.
No injuries are reported with this fire.

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