Several activities are planned in June for Wildfire Awareness Month in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Community events include:

• North Tahoe Fire Protection District’s 2nd annual Fire Safe Bar-B-Que on June 10 from 11am-3pm at 222 Fairway Drive in Tahoe City. For more information, contact Beth Kenna at 530.583.6911, ext. 714.
• South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue’s 4th Annual Wildfire Safety Expo on June 17 from noon-3pm at the TJ Maxx parking lot. For more information, contact Al Martinez at 530.542.6161.
• Lake Valley Fire Protection District is conducting a Meyers Community Gathering on June 25 from 11am-3pm at Tahoe Paradise Park. The event will mark the 10-year anniversary of the Angora Fire by focusing on the community’s healing and resiliency. For more information about this event, contact Perry Quinn at 530.559.4813. As part of the day’s activities, the Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities has organized a workshop including an Angora Fire time series photo display and formal presentation by UNR Professor Peter Goin, as well as a series of 15-minute talks about a variety of relevant topics such as fire adapted communities, defensible space landscaping, and evacuation planning. 

Here are tips to prepare for a wildfire:

• Create defensible space by removing dead vegetation, leaves and pine needles that are located next to a home, on the roof or in rain gutters.
• Trim low tree branches to a height of at least 10 feet.
• Move firewood stacks to a location at least 30 feet from the home.
• Develop a personal and family evacuation plan.
• Put out campfires before leaving the campsite, and only have campfires in designated fire rings where they are allowed.
• Avoid the use of charcoal when barbecuing.
• Use an approved spark arrestor when off-roading.
• Don’t light fireworks; they are illegal in the basin.