Prescribed fires at Lake Tahoe's east shore above Glenbrook and north shore have been blowing smoke into Carson City.
Fire and fuel crews with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the Forest Service began the controlled burns today. Winds in front of a storm system are pushing smoke into the area, confirmed Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi.
Here are the news releases on the burns:
Large-scale prescribed fire operations next week near Glenbrook
U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews will conduct prescribed fire operations above Glenbrook, Nev., on Tuesday, February 19, 2013. Crews expect to burn up to 135 acres. Operations will continue through the week as weather and conditions allow. The project area consists of piles of vegetation and woody materials remaining after fuels reduction efforts aimed at reducing wildfire risk to the community.
The Forest Service will staff a prescribed fire information station at the Spooner Summit fire station. Fire information staff will be available from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Interested public are encouraged to visit the station for more information.Because of the project size, Lake Tahoe, Carson City and Reno residents and visitors may see a significant amount of smoke rising from the project area. Smoke will be visible on U.S. Highway 50. The Forest Service strives to minimize the impacts of smoke on local communities. Smoke-sensitive residents should consider staying indoors and keeping doors, windows and outside vents closed. To directly receive prescribed fire updates, send an email to pa_ltbmu@fs.fed.us.
Forest Service staff will post road signs around areas affected by prescribed fire, and update the local fire information line at (530) 543-2600, #6. Other federal, state and local fire management agencies may also be conducting prescribed fire work during this period.For more information, visit our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu. To learn more about the efforts to reduce catastrophic wildfire risks in the Tahoe Basin read the Lake Tahoe Basin Multi-jurisdictional Fuel Reduction Plan here.
Take a few moments to visit an excellent web site and learn about Prescribed Fire vs. Wildfire at: www.smokeybear.com/prescribed-fires.asp.
And this one from the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District:
Hazard Reduction project continues in the Galena Creek and Davis Creek Park Areas
North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District’s fuels crew will continue the
hazardous fuels reduction project in the Galena and Davis Creek Park areas through February 19th, 2013, weather permitting.This project is a cooperative effort between North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District, Washoe County Parks Department and Nevada Division of Forestry. The debris or “slash” piles were created as a result of a hazardous fuels reduction and defensible space project over the last year, to help minimize the risk of wildland fires in the area.
The project’s safety plan calls for cancellation of the controlled burning based on weather conditions each day, such as significant wind activity or precipitation. The burning piles are expected to produce smoke that may be visible throughout the area. Smoke resulting from the pile burns will affect the surrounding areas for approximately 24-36 hours. People that are smoke sensitive are advised to please stay inside and close their windows and doors as much as possible until the smoke dissipates. For further information, please call the Fire District at 775/831-0351, ext.0 to speak with someone in person or visit www.nltfpd.net.