October 10, 2016 – The American River Ranger District on the Tahoe National Forest will conduct prescribed fires this fall and winter to reduce accumulations of hazardous fuels and to reestablish healthy forest ecosystems. Fall and winter precipitation and cooler temperatures are ideal for prescribed fire operations. Planned prescribed burning projects include low-to-moderate intensity burns of vegetation on the forest floor and burning stacked woody material (piles) from timber harvest and forest fuels reduction projects.
The goals of these projects are to reduce the severity of future wildfires, restore forest health and diversity, and provide added protection for communities in the wildland urban interface. Prescribed fire will help to promote a more fire and pest resilient forest, and improve habitat for wildlife. The Forest Service is also working to reduce dense stands of trees and brush using mechanical thinning and hand removal of vegetation throughout the Tahoe National Forest. All of these methods are important tools in reducing the size and frequency of high intensity wildfires, and promote forest health.
Prescribed fire projects are conducted in accordance with an approved prescribed fire burn plan. Burn plans describe specific conditions under which burns will be conducted, including weather, numbers of personnel, and techniques to minimize smoke impacts. This information is used to decide when and where to burn.
Big Trees – Starting on October 11, 2016 5 acres of prescribed understory burning will take place at the Big Trees Grove. This will reduce the volume and density of continuous ladder fuels and ground fuels in the project area.