Full Notification

The Truckee Ranger District on the Tahoe National Forest will conduct prescribed fires this fall/winter to reduce build-up of hazardous fuels and to move towards restoring forest ecosystems.   Fall and winter bring precipitation and cooler temperatures which are ideal for prescribed fire operations. Planned projects include low-to-moderate intensity understory bums of vegetation on the forest floor and burning piles of stacked woody material.

The goals of these projects are to re-establish natural ecosystems using fire. This will also reduce the severity of future wildfires and provide added protection for communities in the wildland urban interface. Prescribed fire helps to promote a diverse and more resilient forest, as well as improve habitat for wildlife. The Forest Service is also working to reduce fuels by thinning dense stands of trees and brush using mechanical thinning, mastication, and hand removal of vegetation throughout the Tahoe National Forest.  All of these techniques are important in reducing the amount of forest fuels.

All prescribed fire projects are conducted in accordance with a specific, approved prescribed fire bum plan. Burn plans describe the specific conditions under which burns will be conducted, including the weather, number of personnel, and opportunities to minimize smoke impacts. This information is used to decide when and where to burn. "We do our best to give as much advance notice as possible before burning, however, some operations may be conducted on short notice," stated Linda Ferguson, District Fuels Management Officer.

The following is a list of prescribed fire projects currently planned for this fall/winter:

•    Stampede Area- 200 acres of understory burning, approximately 1 mile east of Stampede Reservoir

•     Hwy 89 North near Prosser Hill OHV -1,000 acres of understory  burning, approximately 2 miles north of Tahoe Donner and Prosser Lakeview/Prosser Heights  and adjacent to Klondike Flats 

• Multiple Piled Material Operations - Sagehen (300 acres); Serene Lakes (10 acres); Russel Valley (10 acres); Henness Pass Road north of Stampede Reservoir  (10 acres); Donner Camp (1 acre); Sawtooth Ridge/06 Road (2 acres)

Call US Forest Service if you have any questions at 587-3558 x251 or email: [email protected]