USFS to pile burn throughout Tahoe basin

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews may resume prescribed fire operations in several locations around the Lake Tahoe Basin beginning Feb. 18.

Operations may take place in the Luther Pass Campground off of Highway 89 near South Lake Tahoe, on the west side of Highway 89 near Tahoma, and in Slaughterhouse Canyon on Lake Tahoe’s East Shore.

Prescribed fire crews may continue operations through the weekend, weather, staffing, and conditions permitting. Locations may vary due to changing conditions.

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, opportunities to minimize smoke impacts, and available burn days. This information is used to decide when and where to burn.

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.

Last summer’s wildfires serve as

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, No. 6. To receive prescribed fire notifications, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.