Everyone remembers the Angora Fire that devastated South Lake Tahoe and its real estate. The potential for another large fire is daunting and very real here in the Truckee and Lake Tahoe basin. Tahoe’s current forest is typically thick with trees, brush and dead vegetation. In many areas, there has been a great buildup of wildfire fuel and our forests have experienced significant growth changes over the last 100 years.
TRPA is actively addressing Best Management Practices (BMP) to protect and repair Lake Tahoe’s clarity and defensible space compliance to help protect the safety of our homes, wildlife and forests in the event of fire. California’s State statutes also require defensible space compliance and many homeowners’ associations have enacted regulations with Tahoe Donner providing one of the leading national programs with Lahontan, Martis Camp and soon, Old Greenwood following suit.
Defensible space is an area around a house where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire risk and to provide an opportunity for firefighters to effectively defend the house. Our risk here in Tahoe is from flying embers landing on roofs along with low brush fires that combust quickly. Making some easy and minor changes on your property substantially reduces the risk of severe fire damage.
One of the best things you can do is ensure your home is “Lean, Clean and Green.”
- Lean: For a distance of five to 30 feet away from the home, there should only be a small amount of vegetation or flammable debris within the area during fire season.
- Green: Implies healthy and irrigated plants and/or landscaping.
- Clean: Trees are limbed up at least 10’ with all debris removed from the tree drip line and the grounds are clean of heavy pine needles, pine cones and dry branches.
Sagebrush and Manzanita are “everywhere” here in Tahoe. Unfortunately, they grow in a dense manner and provide ready fuel for fire. If your property is heavy with either or both, create a minimum of 2’ separation between bushes and allow the fire a chance to move around the shrubs versus through them. Be sure to clean your roof annually, open up gutters and remove all pine needles and debris from the roof. Flying embers easily catch hold of dry materials and wreck havoc for firefighters protecting your home. When you leave, store your propane heaters and patio cushions inside the garage. These two items are sure to burn in the event of fire regardless of your defensible space.
Together, we can all do a little and the safety result for our forests and homes is tremendous. Get Lean, Clean and Green this summer. For more information on defensible space and BMPs, visit online.
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