Tahoe forests are displaying vibrant fall colors, even as smoke from prescribed fire operations lingers above the lake. These operations are part of efforts to maintain forest health, which is crucial for the watershed's overall well-being, community safety, and climate resilience.
Recently, members of Team Tahoe participated in the California Wildfire and Resilience Task Force conference on Tahoe’s South Shore. Over 500 fire and resource managers gathered to discuss strategies to mitigate catastrophic wildfire risks.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) prioritizes forest health restoration alongside partners like the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team. The Angora Fire in 2007 prompted TRPA to collaborate with fire management agencies to expedite forest fuel reduction projects, streamline permits, and secure funding sources. Despite its relatively small size by today's standards, the 3,100-acre Angora Fire destroyed over 250 homes along Angora Ridge.
Since then, progress has been made by Team Tahoe. The 21-member Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team has treated more than 72,000 acres for fuel reduction. This includes pile-burning on nearly 31,000 acres to clear dead material collected by hand crews. Fire professionals have also conducted over 70,000 defensible space inspections on private properties. More than 75 neighborhoods have joined the Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities.
Despite these efforts, climate change continues to pose challenges. The region faces a historic mega drought affecting mountainsides with wildfire scars and bark beetle infestations that healthy trees usually resist.
The Caldor Fire in 2021 highlighted the era of megafires when it burned over 221,000 acres and crossed into the south end of the Tahoe Basin. Thanks to weather changes, defensible spaces around homes, and prior fuel reduction projects since the Angora fire, no homes were lost in the basin during this event.
"My home in Christmas Valley was among those spared," said a local resident involved with Team Tahoe's initiatives. "I am proud of our partnerships and committed to expanding our work."
In support of ongoing efforts, Congress reauthorized the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act earlier this month. This extension provides approximately $300 million for federal investment in forest fuel reduction work and other related projects over ten years.
Additionally, TRPA is assisting fire and emergency management agencies with evacuation planning. The Tahoe Basin received a $1.7-million federal PROTECT grant for regional evacuation planning addressing wildfire vulnerabilities in transportation and communication infrastructure.