by Martin Goldberg | Jun 23, 2022 | News
Forest Order No. 19-21-02
USDA Forest Service
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Camping and Campfire Restrictions
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a), and to protect natural resources, the following acts are prohibited within the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. This Order is effective from June 27, 2021, through June 27, 2024.
- Camping, except in the areas described on Exhibit A for no more than 14 days in a calendar year in total, as shown on Exhibit 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(e).
- Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, except within the areas listed on Exhibit B. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(a).
Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:
- Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order.
- Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are not exempt from the prohibitions listed above, however, persons with a valid California campfire permit may use a portable campfire pit, stove, or lantern that uses gas, kerosene, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel.
- Any Federal, State or local officer, or member of an organization rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.
These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions found in 36 C.F.R. § Part 261, Subpart A.
A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.
16 U.S.C. § 551 and 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571, and 3581.
Done at South Lake Tahoe, California, this 24th day of June, 2021.
_____________________________
Gwen Sanchez
Acting Forest Supervisor
Exhibit A
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
- Camp Richardson Resort and Campground
- Fallen Leaf Campground
- Bayview Campground
- Meeks Bay Campground
- Meeks Bay Resort
- Within 300 feet of the McKinney-Rubicon Springs Road (Forest Road No. 14N34), from its intersection with the Off-Highway Vehicle Staging Area, then west to its intersection with the boundary of the Tahoe National Forest.
- Buck Lake
- Kaspian Campground
- Blackwood Canyon Campground
- Watson Lake Campground
- Within 300 feet of the Tahoe Rim Trail.
- Within 300 feet of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, from its intersection with the southern boundary of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, then north to its intersection with the northern boundary of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
- Zephyr Cove Campground
- Nevada Beach Campground
- Luther Campground
- Meiss Management Area
- Mount Rose Wilderness
- Within 300 feet of Genoa Peak Road (Forest Road No. 14N32), from its intersection with White Hill Spur Road (Forest Road No. 14N32A), then south to its second intersection with Logan House Loop Road (Forest Road No.14N33).
- William Kent Campground
- Within the Desolation Wilderness with a valid Wilderness Permit.
Exhibit B
- 64 Acres Day Use Area
- Baldwin Beach Day Use Area
- Bayview Campground
- Blackwood Campground
- Berkeley Camp
- Camp Concord
- Camp Richardson Resort Campgrounds
- Camp Richardson Stables
- Camp Shelly
- Eagle Falls Picnic Area
- Fallen Leaf Campground
- Kaspian Day Use Area
- Kaspian Campground
- Kiva Picnic Area
- Luther Campground
- Meeks Bay Campground
- Meeks Bay Resort and Campground
- Nevada Beach Campground
- Nevada Beach Day Use Area
- Pope Beach Day Use Area
- Zephyr Cove Resort Campground
- Watson Lake Campground
- William Kent Campground
- William Kent Day Use Area
by Martin Goldberg | Jun 1, 2022 | News, Uncategorized
FIRE RESTRICTIONS
The Lake Valley Fire Protection District has activated local fire restrictions and has suspended the outdoor burning of solid fuels as of June 1, 2022. ONLY Natural Gas (NG) or Propane (LPG) outdoor fire pits and barbecues, and pellet grills/smokers are allowed. The ban remains in effect for the duration of the fire season.
Enjoy your Tahoe summer safely with family and friends and BE FIRE SAFE. For more information, contact us at (530) 577-3737.
by Martin Goldberg | Apr 4, 2022 | News
Many hazards exist including fire-weakened trees, burned stump holes and missing trail signs
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif., March 31, 2022 – The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) reminds recreationists to use caution when recreating in the 2021 Caldor Fire area. Residents and visitors should be aware of their surroundings and use common sense when recreating in the burn area. Burned landscapes present numerous safety hazards for recreationists that either did not exist prior to the fire or have been worsened by the effects of the fire.
“Risks to those choosing to recreate in the Caldor Fire burn area will continue to evolve over the next several years,” said Public Services Staff Officer, Daniel Cressy. “Always practice responsible recreation and be aware of your surroundings including wind and other weather conditions, which can weaken fire-damaged trees.”
No area closures are in currently place on the LTBMU. All trailheads and trails in the burned area are open, however multiple hazards may exist. Hikers, mountain bikers and others venturing into the burn area should be prepared to navigate without visible trails or trail signs and be sure to bring along a map, GPS app or device. Practice good stewardship by staying on trails because without live plant roots to anchor the soil, burned soil can easily be worn away.
In addition, please keep the following in mind:
Flash Floods/Debris Flows: Fast-moving, highly destructive flash floods and debris flows triggered by intense rainfall are one of the most dangerous post-fire hazards. The risk of floods and debris flows after a wildfire increases due to vegetation loss and soil exposure. Always avoid recreating in post-fire areas during rain events. If caught unaware, move to high ground. Never attempt to drive or hike through an area that has been flooded or if debris flows have occurred. These types of events hide dips in roads or trails and other obstacles. Worse still, there may not be a road or trail at all. Flooding and debris flows can wash away entire roads or trail surfaces and a significant amount of ground underneath.
Damaged or Dead Trees: After a wildfire, many trees are weakened from burning around the base of the trunk. These trees can fall over, blow down, or drop limbs without warning. Shallow-rooted trees can also fall. Therefore, always be extremely alert when recreating around burned trees, especially after rain events or during high winds. Never picnic, camp, or park a vehicle close to dead trees. Look up while on trails and if the wind kicks up, head to a clearing out of reach of any potential falling trees.
Burned Stump Holes/Root Chambers: Burned stumps may create obvious large holes, but these holes may be bigger than they appear. In many cases, the fire may have traveled through root chambers and consumed the woody root material leaving hollow spaces where solid wood used to be. Overtime, these root chambers will collapse. A person’s body, mountain bike or vehicle weight may cause these chambers to collapse, potentially opening a hole. Large trees have particularly big root chambers that can be very deep. Be especially wary after rain events as the moisture may travel through the root chambers and make collapse easier.
For additional information on the LTBMU, please visit our website or follow us on Facebook and/or Twitter.
For information about open and closed Caldor Fire areas on the Eldorado National Forest, visit their website.
###
by Martin Goldberg | Nov 3, 2021 | News
LAKE TAHOE FIREFIGHTERS SHARE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CALDOR FIRE
Contact: Amanda Milici, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, 530-543-1501 ext.114
Eric Guevin, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District, 775-815-0972
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – As the community celebrates 100 percent containment of the Caldor Fire, firefighters are sharing lessons learned from the fight to protect neighborhoods in Christmas Valley, Meyers, and South Lake Tahoe in a new bilingual video and a special issue of Tahoe In Depth newspaper: Lessons from the Caldor Fire | Lecciones del fuego Caldor | Tahoe In Depth
Firefighters from Lake Valley Fire Protection District, City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and other local, state and federal firefighting agencies noted that in the months and weeks prior to the fire, residents took important steps that helped save their homes: moving firewood away from homes, cleaning up pine needles, and preparing for a potential evacuation.
“It was inspiring to see that residents did what they could to help us help them. It really made a difference,” says Kim George, a fire captain with City of South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue.
In the new video, Kim George and Martin Goldberg, an engineer with Lake Valley Fire Protection District, share three key steps that residents can accomplish to help firefighters increase the odds of protecting homes at Lake Tahoe:
- Maintain Defensible Space:Clear the first 0-5 feet of your home (Ember Resistant Zone) of wood mulch, pine needles, twigs, and other flammable vegetation. Keep the next 5-30 feetLean, Clean, and Green by removing dead and dying vegetation, spacing trees and shrubs, and keeping plants well-irrigated. Maintain a Reduced Fuel Zone of 30-100 + feet by thinning dense stands of trees and shrubs and removing dead plant material, low-hanging tree branches, and other ladder fuels.
- Harden Your Home Against Embers:Reduce your home’s vulnerability to wildfire embers by clearing pine needles and debris from gutters, roofs, and decks. Place one-eighth inch metal mesh screens over vents, and install ignition-resistant roofing, non-combustible siding, and enclosed eaves.
- Stay Prepared and Stay Informed:Be prepared for an evacuation by registering for your and neighboring counties’ emergency alert systems, packing an evacuation Go-Bag in advance, and making an evacuation plan with your family, friends, and neighbors.
In addition to the video, Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team partners contributed to a special Caldor Fire issue of the environmental newspaper, Tahoe In Depth, to capture the events of the fire and to describe the critical role of forest fuel reduction—including forest thinning and the use of prescribed fire—and wildfire preparedness now and into the future.
“Prolonged droughts and extreme wildfires have become a fact of life in the Sierra Nevada. We just lived through it with the Caldor Fire, and we can improve our odds of withstanding the next wildfire,” says Kim George.
Learn more about how to prepare for wildfire at TahoeLivingWithFire.com.
###
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.
For more information, visit tahoelivingwithfire.com
by Martin Goldberg | Oct 9, 2021 | News
THREE PHASES OF WILDFIRE RECOVERY
Reposted from
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/.
