Helicopters will star at Fire Fest this year as they land at the Lake Tahoe Airport for Fire Fest 2010.

Oct. 2 is an opportunity to get a close up look at these amazing machines. Crews will be on hand to answer questions and explain how they help us when we need it most.

Fire Fest is an annual event hosted by our local fire agencies, including Lake Valley Fire District, the U.S. Forest Service, the Tahoe-Douglas Fire District, Fallen Leaf Fire District, South Lake Tahoe Fire Department and the Nevada Fire Safe Council, and sponsored by the Lake Tahoe Kiwanis Club. This event highlights Fire Prevention Week and includes safety agencies, creating a day celebrating fire and life safety for children and families.

Southwest Gas, South Tahoe Public Utility District, Sierra Pacific Power, Clean Tahoe Program and South Tahoe Refuse have added home safety, energy and water conservation to this broad ranging community event with interests for everyone. The South Lake Tahoe Boys and Girls Club and El Dorado County Sheriff STAR volunteers assist with fun children’s activities. The Lake Tahoe Fire Academy volunteers assist throughout the event. Food and beverages, barbecued by the Kiwanis Club, are available at reasonable prices.

Activities include fire engines and equipment, roll over and vehicle extrication, police dog demonstrations, demonstration of fire resistant building materials and systems, home safety ideas, free hand out material and lots of special attractions for kids, like water fights, face painting, bounce house and Smokey Bear, Sparky and other friends.

What does Fire Fest really achieve? Over the past 17 years, officials have distributed hundreds of smoke detectors and fire extinguishers for local homes, reduced incidents involving children and matches, met the people who help us in emergencies, fingerprinted hundreds of our children, provided bicycle and car seat safety information and, overall, created safer homes, vehicles, streets, neighborhoods and forests.

Fire Fest 2010 is Oct. 2 from 10am to 3pm at the Lake Tahoe Airport. Admission is free. A free shuttle among events that day makes it an even more affordable and low-impact.