Eldorado National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
100 Forni RD Placerville California 95667
Placerville, CA 95667
BAER Information
Phone: 707-853-4243
Hours: 8am-8pm
There are three phases of recovery following wildfires on federal lands:
– Fire Suppression Repair
– Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER)
– Long-Term Recovery and Restoration
o Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and usually begins before the fire is contained, and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work repairs the hand and dozer fire lines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts.
o Emergency Stabilization-Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) is a rapid assessment of burned watersheds by a BAER team to identify imminent post-wildfire threats to human life and safety, property, and critical natural or cultural resources on National Forest System lands and take immediate actions to implement emergency stabilization measures before the first post-fire damaging events. Fires result in loss of vegetation, exposure of soil to erosion, and increased water runoff that may lead to flooding, increased sediment, debris flows, and damage to critical natural and cultural resources. BAER actions such as: mulching, seeding, installation of erosion and water run-off control structures, temporary barriers to protect recovering areas, and installation of warning signs may be implemented. BAER work may also replace safety related facilities; remove safety hazards; prevent permanent loss of habitat for threatened and endangered species; prevent the spread of noxious weeds, and protect critical cultural resources.
o Long-Term Recovery and Restoration utilizes non-emergency actions to improve fire-damaged lands that are unlikely to recover naturally and to repair or replace facilities damaged by the fire that are not critical to life and safety. This phase may include restoring burned habitat, reforestation, other planting or seeding, monitoring fire effects, replacing burned fences, interpreting cultural sites, treating noxious weed infestations, and installing interpretive signs.
SPECIAL NOTE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scars. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events-be prepared to take action. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website: www.weather.gov/sto/.
The Lake Valley Fire Protection District is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)—the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years—to promote this year’s Fire Prevention WeekTM campaign, “Learn the Sounds of Fire SafetyTM.” This year’s campaign, October 3-9th, works to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.
“What do the sounds mean? Is there a beep or a chirp coming out of your smoke or carbon monoxide
alarm? Knowing the difference can save you, your home, and your family,” said Lorraine Carli, vice-president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA.
The Lake Valley Fire Protection District encourages all residents to embrace the 2021 Fire Prevention Week theme.
It’s important to learn the different sounds of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. When an alarm makes noise—a beeping sound or a chirping sound—you must take action! Make sure everyone in the home understands the sounds of the alarms and knows how to respond. To learn the sounds of your specific smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, check the manufacturer’s instructions that came in the box, or search the brand and model online.
The Lake Valley Fire Protection District wants to share safety tips to help you “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety”
A continuous set of three loud beeps—beep, beep, beep—means smoke or fire. Get out, call 9-1-1, and
stay out.
A single chirp every 30 or 60 seconds means the battery is low and must be changed.
All smoke alarms must be replaced after 10 years.
Chirping that continues after the battery has been replaced means the alarm is at the end of its life and
the unit must be replaced.
Make sure your smoke and CO alarms meet the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
The Lake Valley Fire Protection District is posting a series of tips on our Instagram (@lakevalleyfire) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LakeValleyFire) sites in support of this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety.”
To find out more about Fire Prevention Week, please contact the Lake Valley Fire Protection District’s Public Information Officer Martin Goldberg at (530) 577-3737 or by email at [email protected]. For more general information about Fire Prevention Week and fire prevention in general, visit www.fpw.org.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev.– Since the 2007 Angora Fire, the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) has completed 65,000 acres of treatment to reduce hazardous fuels in the Tahoe Basin. These restoration projects improve the vitality of the basin’s forests to withstand the increasing threats of drought and other extreme weather events. With the Caldor Fire nearby, we want to share what you can do individually to complement the work that the TFFT is doing to prepare for wildfire.
Monitor Incident Information – Stay up to date on the current acreage and containment statistics by visiting the incident page here and sign up to receive CAL FIRE updates here. For current evacuation locations, check the El Dorado County Sherriff Evacuation Map. For the latest Caldor Incident information, attend a live CAL FIRE AEU community meeting daily at 5PM at www.facebook.com/CALFIREAEU.
Highway 50 is closed in both directions from Pollock Pines (Sly Park Road exit) to Meyers. Check the CAL FIRE incident page and the Caltrans QuickMap for road closure updates.
Sign Up for Emergency Alerts –You should take initiative by signing up for emergency alerts. Placer Alert, El Dorado County Code Red, Douglas County Code Red, and Washoe County Code Red allow individuals to register up to five addresses for notifications. Those who often travel around Lake Tahoe should sign up for all four counties.
Prepare an Evacuation Go-Bag – Prepare a Go-Bag in advance, and include 3-5 days of supplies you would need to self-sustain should you be ordered to evacuate. Include essentials such as clothes, toiletries, prescriptions, food, water, cash and pet supplies. Make sure your personal documents (such as social security card, passport, and memorabilia) are accessible. Consider adding a USB drive with copies of these documents to your Go-Bag.
Plan for a Potential Evacuation – Evacuating can be stressful and scary, so you should have a plan. Familiarize yourself with your neighborhood, identify potential escape routes, and build relationships with your neighbors, especially if you do not have a car. Learn how to turn off the gas and electricity at your home, designate a family meeting point, and identify an out-of-town contact. Prepare to address the special needs of vulnerable family members and neighbors, including the elderly and those with medical problems or disabilities. In the event that you have to evacuate, use this Wildfire Evacuation Checklist for guidance. Practice the plan with your family, pets and neighbors. Muscle memory will help in times of real emergency.
Do a Home inventory – If, and only if, you have time, consider documenting your important items in the event you need to file an insurance claim. Document your home inventory here or use the home inventory app here. Take photos and/or videos of your most important items.
Visit TahoeLivingWithFire.com and follow @tahoelwf on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more wildfire preparedness and prevention information.
About the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team – The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT) consists of representatives of Tahoe Basin fire agencies, CAL FIRE, Nevada Division of Forestry and related state agencies, University of California and Nevada Cooperative Extensions, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, the USDA Forest Service, conservation districts from both states, the California Tahoe Conservancy and the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. Our Mission is to protect lives, property and the environment within the Lake Tahoe Basin from wildfire by implementing prioritized fuels reduction projects and engaging the public in becoming a Fire Adapted Community.
The Lake Valley Fire Protection District appreciates your efforts to stay informed on this rapidly changing wildfire. The District is working closely with the Caldor Fire Incident Management Team including CALFIRE and the U.S. Forest Service and will continue to do so throughout the incident. All our actions are based on the most current fire information. The District wants our community to be informed and provide the following incident information. The incidents information line is (530) 303-2455 and the media line is (530) 497-0315.
Fire Information
The Caldor Fire Public Information Team provides information twice daily, at 7 am and at 7 pm. Other notices regarding evacuations, smoke impacts and community meetings are released throughout the day. These can be obtained directly by email or by social media. For emails, click here. To Like the CALFIRE Amador-El Dorado Unit Facebook page and get incident updates, click here. To Like the U.S. Forest Service – Eldorado National Forest Facebook page and get incident updates, click here.
Please note, there is no evacuation order, nor warning, issued in the Lake Tahoe Basin area as of Sunday, August 22. However, this is a good time to assemble an emergency supply kit should the need arise to evacuate. You can find information at Emergency Supply Kit – Ready for Wildfire. Additionally, information on how to prepare family members in the event of an evacuation can be found at Prepare Your Family – Ready for Wildfire. Click the map for current El Dorado County Evacuation information.
Enhanced fire restrictions began June 15, 2021, and will remain in effect through November or until rescinded. Wood and charcoal fires and other fire-related activities are prohibited in the Lake Valley Fire Protection District. Increased fire danger due to severe drought conditions and warm weather is a big concern this summer. Enhanced fire restrictions will help reduce the possibility of human-caused fires.