USFS to embark on 3,000+ acre N. Shore fuels project

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin the Carnelian Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Healthy Forest Restoration Project next week.

The project will thin trees and brush on National Forest lands on the North Shore to reduce the risk of severe wildfire, improve forest health, and provide defensible space to neighboring communities.

The project area includes approximately 3,297 acres adjacent to Kings Beach, Tahoe Vista, Carnelian Bay, Cedar Flat, Lake Forest and Tahoe City.

Thinning methods include hand thinning, which is done by crews with chain saws and involves piling the material for burning at a later time; cut-to-length thinning, which cuts the tree down, cuts the tree into sections in the cutting area and then removes the tree and as much material as possible; and whole tree removal, in which the whole tree is cut and moved to the landing for processing.

The first units scheduled for treatment are located on the east side of Brockway Summit near Kings Beach, north of Speckled Avenue. Approximately 310 acres will be thinned in these areas using CTL equipment.

Work may take approximately three months to complete. Work will not occur on Memorial Day Weekend.