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The King Fire that started Sept. 13 in El Dorado County east of Pollock Pines was fully contained as of Thursday, according to Cal Fire. The human-caused fire destroyed 12 homes, consumed 97,717 acres and sent dense smoke east through Lake Tahoe and into Carson City and Carson Valley.

After a grueling month for firefighters and local communities, U.S. Forest Service Supervisor Laurence Crabtree made the announcement.

The inaugural Nevada Governor’s Conference on Agriculture will be Nov. 13 at the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa in Reno, the Nevada Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday.

“I am pleased to announce the very first Nevada Governor’s Conference on Agriculture,” said Gov. Brian Sandoval. “Agriculture is one of Nevada’s leading industries, contributing more than $3 billion to the state’s economy. This includes our rich and diverse agricultural industries, from ranching and farming to all the associated businesses that keep these industries vibrant.”

UPDATE: An air tanker pilot based out of Hollister, Calif., died Tuesday in a crash while fighting a fire at Yosemite National Park, according to Cal Fire.

Emergency personnel were able to access the crash site of Cal Fire Air Tanker 81 that crashed near the Yosemite fire and determined the pilot on board had died, said Cal Fire public information officer Daniel Berlant.

Now that Autumn has arrived, it’s a great time to explore the areas east of Carson City. These trails and back roads can be impassable in the winter, muddy in the Spring, and too hot during the Summer. This time of year, though, the dry conditions and mild temperatures make it the perfect time to go. One of our favorite Fall rides is the off-road route up to Virginia City via the American Flat Toll Road. With the area’s fun and lively Old West history, this ride has started to become an annual event.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada and Northern California. This report is for the week of Oct. 1-7, 2014.

Visitors to Fallen Leaf and Meeks Bay campgrounds at Lake Tahoe must put now their food and refuse in proper storage lockers and dumpsters beginning Wednesday, according to a decision by the U.S. Forest Service. The measure is intended to stop prevent human-bear conflict.

The Forest Order requires the use of facility provided dumpsters and food lockers locked to animal entry at the specified recreation sites. Visitors who elect not to comply with the Forest Order may be subject to a violation notice.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the Tahoe Heritage Foundation will host the Fall Fish Festival this weekend, October 4-5, 2014, at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center on Lake Tahoe’s South Shore. The Fall Fish Festival focuses on a variety of fish species that live in Lake Tahoe and its streams including the federally threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout, little-known smaller fish, such as Speckled dace, and the Kokanee salmon.

The Cascade Fire burning near Snow Lake on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe continues to hold at 30 acres as of Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. The wildfire is located entirely in the Desolation Wilderness. No structures are threatened.

Beginning Oct. 1, boat inspections at Lake Tahoe will move to select launch ramps and winter hours will begin. Tahoe RCD inspectors will be stationed at the Cave Rock boat launch from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week, weather permitting.

No inspector will be stationed at Lake Forest boat launch from Sept. 8 through Jan. 2, 2015 due to a rehabilitation project. Inspections will be available at Lake Forest once the project is complete. Please call the hotline for availability of alternative inspection options.

A small wildfire visible from Highway 89 above Emerald Bay on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe was reported late this afternoon, September 24, 2014. The fire is burning above Cascade Lake in the Snow Lake area of the Desolation Wilderness and is approximately one-quarter to one-half an acre. It is not related to the King Fire burning west of Lake Tahoe near Pollock Pines.

UPDATE THURSDAY 9AM: A wildfire above Cascade Lake on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe reported late Wednesday afternoon continues to burn, and the size is now reported at 30 acres as of this morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire is burning in the Snow Lake area of the Desolation Wilderness near Emerald Bay. This wildfire is not related to the King Fire currently burning west of Lake Tahoe.

Wayne Allen Huntsman, the accused King Fire arsonist, is sitting in the El Dorado Jail in South Lake Tahoe awaiting an Oct. 28 court date.

Huntsman was arrested Sept. 17 on felony charges of arson on forest land with a special allegation of arson with aggravating factors. He was arraigned Friday in Superior Court where he pled not guilty and transferred to the county jail in South Lake Tahoe. His bail remains at $10 million.

My son and I joined the Muscle Powered Trail Crew over the weekend to work on the Kings Canyon to Ash Canyon Trail. The Bike Smith hosted this particular work day, and many of the guys from the shop were there to lend a hand. We arrived at the Kings Canyon trailhead at 9:00 AM where we received a safety talk, a hard hat, and trail tools to carry up to the work site.

A Dense Smoke Advisory has been issued by the National Weather Service for Carson City, Dayton, Carson Valley and Reno areas through 5 p.m. Monday.

The King Fire, which started a week ago, Sept. 13, has now burned nearly 81,000 acres east of Pollock Pines in El Dorado County. As of Saturday morning, the human-caused fire is 10 percent contained.

The U.S. Forest Service, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, and California Public Utilities Commission have released a final environmental document for the electrical line upgrade project proposed by California Pacific Electric Company, now known as Liberty Utilities, in the North Lake Tahoe area.

The following news release is from North Tahoe Fire Protection District Fire Chief Michael Schwartz and Meeks Bay Fire Protection District Chief Tim Alameda regarding the King Fire burning in El Dorado County. This announcement was forwarded Thursday evening by the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit public information officer:

Tahoe Residents and Visitors, There are No Evacuations at this present time

Because of the uncertain path of the King Fire, the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has closed the McKinney Rubicon Trail and is advising against travel into the Desolation or Granite Chief wildernesses.

The Eldorado National Forest has issued a forest closure for its Desolation Wilderness trails and trailheads. In particular, hikers and equestrians should consider cancelling plans for overnight travel into the Desolation and Granite Chief wildernesses.

I have a "ton of fun" visiting all kinds of websites on the Internet, and enjoying all of their fascinating information and photos. They range all the way from our very own Carson Now Carson City to www.carsonvalleytimes.com in Douglas County to those in the far-flung corners of the world.

Of all of those far-flung websites, I mostly enjoy visiting those that are associated with the Far North: Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, The Northwest Territories and The Yukon.

The University of Nevada, Reno’s newest mountaintop camera at Lake Tahoe has just been installed, and has been tracking the smoke from the King Fire in El Dorado County, Calif., which has been inundating the Lake Tahoe Basin, Carson City and Reno areas with smoke in the afternoons.

UPDATE THURSDAY 3:40PM: Go here for the latest on the King Fire. June Lake Road was to be opened at 2 p.m. Thursday. Here's a news brief from Mono County Sheriff's Office.

UPDATE: June Lake Fire Road Closures. The fire remains controlled with small hot spots. Fire crews continue to work on these hot spots.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will begin letting people through Hwy 158 beginning at 1:00 PM with the advisement of fire activity and equipment on the roadway. Please be aware and respect all fire equipment, personnel and hazards in or on the roadway. Think safety first for our fire and law enforcement personnel and for yourselves. Please use caution when traveling through the area.

Hwy 158 is anticipated to be fully open at 2:00 PM. Again, please be mindful of fire personnel and equipment and all first responders and law enforcement in the area. Travel safe!

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UPDATE 330PM: According to a Tweet this afternoon from Caltrans, Highway 50 is back open but the westbound No. 2 lane will remain closed overnight because of ongoing King Fire issues. A portion of the highway and artery for traffic into and out of South Lake Tahoe and Stateline, had been closed since Tuesday, from Sly Park Road to Fresh Pond, due to burning trees falling on the road.

Meanwhile, the June Fire burning in Mono County is estimated to be 65 acres and 50 percent contained.

The U.S. Forest Service will hold an open house on Thursday, September 18, 2014, to explain and answer questions about its draft analysis of a proposal from Heavenly Mountain Resort to expand year-round, non-skiing activities at the Lake Tahoe resort.

Described as a historic package of Northern Nevada lands bills — six introduced by Congressman Mark Amodei and one by Rep. Steven Horsford — will be up for final passage in the House as a bipartisan suspension bill on Monday, Sept. 15.

Many celebrations are scheduled throughout the Silver State in the month of September. These Nevada 150 events celebrate all things Nevada and help bring awareness to the 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following events are held Sept. 15 through 30.

In partnership with Friends of Nevada Wilderness and the U.S. Forest Service, “Family Fun Saturdays” returns to the Nevada State Museum in Carson City with a program to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act Saturday, Sept. 13.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., guests will explore how to set up a tent, leave no trace, name that animal, be safe and find directions using a compass. Visitors will learn skills to help plan their own camping trips to Nevada’s wild lands this fall.

The Meadow Fire burning in Yosemite National Park continues to grow, with smoke expected to impact the Carson City and Carson Valley areas though it has been minimal because of rain showers throughout the region.

The blaze may be a spot fire from the Meadow Fire, believed to be caused by lightning, forest and park officials said. It was discovered at approximately 12:30 p.m. Sunday and has grown to 2,582 acres as of Monday morning. It is burning within the Little Yosemite Valley on both sides of the Merced River.

UPDATE: The ‪Meadow Fire‬ in Yosemite National Park is exhibited explosive growth Sunday, producing pyrocumulus clouds visible in Carson City and Reno, according to the National Weather Service.

The fire is burning in the Little Yosemite Valley area and at last report was 700 acres and growing. Smoke from the fire will impact areas to the northeast of Yosemite. High resolution forecast models show that a layer of smoke will affect the Carson City, Reno and Carson Valley areas by Monday morning if intense burning continues, according to the weather service.

Quagga mussels have been getting all the press lately because of the looming threat to Lake Tahoe but this week it was the river mussel's turn for some attention.

Native to the western U.S., the river mussel is now a protected species due to their population being threatened by dams, habitat modification due to the disappearance of Lahontan Cutthroat Trout from the Upper Truckee and other river habitat changing occurrences.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit plans to restore wetlands and remove the dam at the site of the former Incline Lake, according to a decision by Forest Supervisor Nancy Gibson issued Wednesday.

UPDATE 10PM: Kingsbury Grade has re-opened. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says the wildfire is around around 4.5 acres.

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UPDATE: 6:40: Fire crews and aircraft have halted the forward advancement of a wildland fire Wednesday night off Kingsbury Grade in Douglas County. Firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, the Nevada Division of Forestry, and local fire districts, including East Fork, Tahoe Douglas, Lake Valley, and South Lake Tahoe responded to the Kingsbury Fire.