Publisher’s note: This letter was sent to the Placer County Board of Supervisors, and to Lake Tahoe News.

I just read the email sent out by the North Tahoe Business Association and I am a bit confused by a highlighted section titled “June – Lake Tahoe Basin Awareness Month.” I am confused about the cautious statement: “Renewed effort to protect the high fire hazard areas in which residents live.”

As a Placer County supervisor are you really worried about the high fire hazard areas or the residents who live in high fire hazardous areas? If you’re worried about the residents, then why are you continuing to push for the development of the Martis Valley West Project which puts more lives in a known hazardous wildfire area? As a Placer County supervisor you really should be worried about the residents after all these are the people that your collect taxes off of to fund your highly wealthy ounty.

The highlighted section also noted that most fires start from campfires and tossed cigarette butts. Skipping beyond the once proposed campground located at the top of Brockway Summit that Placer County supported, please remember that the Gondola Fire which occurred at Heavenly Valley Ski Area started from a tossed cigarette butt from their gondola. I am sure with your continued push to make sure the Squaw to Alpine gondola project happens that you’ve already approved putting signs in all of the gondolas stating, “Throwing a cigarette butt out this window could burn down the Granite Chief Wilderness.”

Please rethink your direction and make sure that articles published like the “June – Lake Tahoe Basin Awareness Month” reflect the actions already and being taken by the Placer County supervisors.

Sincerely,

Jim Sajdak, Tahoe City