defensible space

CARSON CITY — Given the devastating 2020 wildfire season across the west, and following two late-season wildfires that recently swept across the Sierra Front, the Nevada Division of Forestry announced Wednesday that it will convene a free virtual summit to help Nevadans prepare and protect their homes, families, and communities from wildland fires.

With 642 fires having burned 229,409 acres in Nevada so far this year, and wildfires continuing to threaten homes and lives across the West, University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Living With Fire Program continues its virtual workshop series, “Five Ways to Prepare Your Family and Property for Wildfire.”

Watching the news on the Numbers Fire south of Gardnerville reminds us how important it is to create and maintain defensible space around your home. The fire burned 18,380 acres in the week it took to get it contained. Have you taken responsibility to make your home/landscape defensible and survivable?

The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is promoting Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Month during July. This year’s theme is “Fight fire with a plan” to encourage residents and visitors to prepare their family, property and possessions now before a wildfire starts by creating a plan.

RENO — With wildland fires eating up the forests and rangelands of Nevada each summer, and fire season now upon us, University of Nevada, Reno scientists are examining how drought, climate change and land management will affect future fire activity and how fires can in turn influence plant, soil and hydrologic processes.

I saw the darndest landscape last week. I was in Incline Village at a friend’s house that backs up to Tahoe Boulevard. My friend said, "Look at the neighbor’s back yard; you won’t believe it!”

With fire danger a threat throughout Nevada, local, state and federal agencies are reminding citizens that igniting, discharging or using fireworks is prohibited on Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands and within the city limits.

May is Wildfire Awareness Month in Nevada and an appropriate time to discuss ways to protect your home and property. "Firescaping" is landscape design that reduces house and property vulnerability to wildfires. The goal is to develop a landscape with a design and choice of plants that enhance the aesthetics of the property while creating a defensible, survivable space around the home.

Nearly 25 years ago, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and dozens of partners embarked on an unprecedented mission to conserve and restore the Lake Tahoe Basin’s treasured natural resources through the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program.

A day after a real fire was successfully battled in the Jacks Valley area in Douglas County, firefighters from Carson City Fire Department and East Fork Fire Protection District are participating in training exercises in the 300 block of South Nevada Street.

As we’ve learned from the recent Fire Season Outlook, year-round fire season is the new normal in the Lake Tahoe Basin and throughout the country.

Now is the perfect time to learn what to do to prepare your home and family to survive wildfire, and to take action.

What began as a very dry winter in the Lake Tahoe Basin ended with Sierra snowpack approximately 85 percent of normal, thanks to heavy precipitation received during the month of March. However, both the National Interagency Fire Center and the Reno National Weather Service expect a warming trend to develop that will lead to drier than normal conditions by late spring.

The Carson City Fire Department is holding a Green Waste Collection Day this Saturday May 19, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Residents can bring pine needles, pine cones, branches and other vegetation to Carson River Park, located at 5013 Carson River Road.

DAYTON — The Central Lyon Fire Protection District is closing open burning for the season with final burning on Sunday, May 20, with a required burn permit.

Earth Day at Lake Tahoe has a special meaning. Working together through the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program, more than 50 local, state, federal, nonprofit, and private sector partners are implementing projects and programs to conserve the Tahoe Basin’s environment and fix past environmental harms.

"It was so frustrating and only so much we could do," recalled Kit Bailey of the U.S. Forest Service during Saturday's Angora Fire First Responder Remembrance Ceremony. "Its miraculous nobody got hurt."

On June 24, 2007, embers from an illegal and abandoned campfire ignited the most destructive fire in the history of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Carson City has made great progress in recovering from the January and February flood damage, and continues to plan for the upcoming spring and summer runoff. Carson City officials are monitoring stream, creek and river flows in Carson City; moreover, officials are concerned about flooding in the surrounding areas located outside city limits.

A Lakeview community project headed up by a Carson City woman is among five in Northern Nevada to receive funding awards from State Farm in support of activities aimed at reducing potential loss of life, property and natural resources to wildfire in their communities.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is once again coordinating the collaborative efforts of federal, state and local fire services, public safety agencies, community organizations and others to participate in Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month throughout May.

As we celebrate Earth Day this April, let’s remember how important environmental stewardship is to the health of Lake Tahoe, and how important our individual actions are.

My sister-in-law has a challenging weed dilemma. She lives in Arizona where they too had lots of rain this past winter. Because of this, the weeds in her yard are at least thigh-high after just a few weeks of growing.

Registration is open for the Northern Nevada Wildfire Awareness Multi-hour Trail Event hosted by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Living With Fire Program in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and Desert Sky Adventures. All proceeds from the race will be donated to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation.

On Sunday August 14th from 12:00 pm to 3:30 pm the Tahoe Resource Conservation District will hold the 9th annual Landscape Conservation Workshop at the Evans Family Garden located at 1383 Mount Olympia Circle in South Lake Tahoe.

The workshop will provide a unique opportunity to see demonstrations of Tahoe Friendly Landscape practices and to interact with local conservation professionals.

June is wildfire awareness month at Lake Tahoe. And nine years later, the 2007 Angora Fire remains a vivid remember that wildfire is one of the greatest threats facing our environment, our homes, and our businesses. We must prepare accordingly.

CARSON CITY — Nevada endured a harsher than recent mild winters, which brought much-needed moisture to the region. While this moisture is responsible for picturesque sceneries, it can also lead to greener plants, and denser grass — in other words: fire fuel.

The Nevada state capital has seen its share of natural disasters and citywide emergencies.

From wildfires to flooding and all-too-common high wind events, Carson City Manager Nick Marano says local government is ready to respond at a moment's notice.

"The city has an emergency operations plan," Marano said. "We've gone through several rounds of modifications to it."

There is an emergency operations center, he said, that enhances communication between public safety and public works departments during local emergencies.

The latest round of funding through the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act includes more than $3 million for projects to help reduce wildfire risk in Lake Tahoe communities.

In a training exercise Wednesday, seasonal firefighters joined with recruits and veteran firefighters from the Carson City Fire Department to practice extinguishing wildfire and discouraging its spread.

“By training, we can hone our skills. We work together more efficiently,” said Rodd Rummel, wildland fuels management officer. “Even for seasoned veterans, training is always key to efficient and effective work.”
Crews spent the day at a north Carson home practicing different maneuvers, such as creating defensible space, thinning brush and extending the fire hose.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency this week announced and recognized award recipients for its 25th annual Best in the Basin program. The agency created the recognition program to showcase projects that demonstrate exceptional planning, design, and compatibility with Lake Tahoe’s environment and communities.