The Truckee Ranger District will begin fall prescribed burning today with 15 to 20 acres in the Sawtooth area. Predicted winds are out of the northwest, which should push smoke into the Watson Lake area.

The timing of all burning depend on favorable weather conditions and may continue periodically until significant snow accumulates.

Weather is the most critical factor in determining when a prescribed burn can begin. Temperature, humidity, fuel moisture, and wind conditions are monitored for the right burning conditions. In addition to weather factors, wildlife needs, soil conditions, tree survival, sensitive plants, and fire suppression activities are all considered in the timing of prescribed burns.

A benefit of the prescribed burning will be reduced intensity of future wildland fires in the treated areas. These areas may also provide firefighters with safe locations to control wildfires in the future.

Some of these burns are located in more remote areas of the forest, while some are near communities. Within the Truckee Ranger District of the Tahoe National Forest, pile burning is planned along Alder Creek Road, at Tahoe Timber Trails, and along Highway 89 North. Underburning is planned near Klondike Flats, in the Sagehen Hills, on Sawtooth Ridge, and near Stampede and Boca Reservoirs. Smoke may be visible in these areas.

In addition to prescribed fire, we are working to reduce fuels by thinning dense stands of trees and cutting back or removing brush and smaller trees using mechanical thinning, mastication, and hand removal of vegetation throughout the forest. All of these techniques are important in reducing the amount of forest fuels.