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The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District would like to thank the communities of Incline Village and Crystal Bay for their support and understanding during the fuels management season of 2011. We understand that our methods of treatment can be annoying, both from the noise created by chainsaws and the smoke from prescribed burning. However, we look at these inconveniences not in the short term but from the long term reduction in the wildfire threat to our community. These types of treatments have proven themselves effective time after time when threatened by uncontrolled wildfire. Included is a link (http://www.fs.fed.us
/fire/management/fuel_
treatments.pdf) to the most recent success story that came out of Arizona's largest fire in the state's history, the Wallow Fire. The combined efforts of the fuels treatment, homeowner's defensible space and firefighting actions saved numerous homes and communities in very similar terrain and vegetation types that we have in the Lake Tahoe Basin. In the most recent urban wildfire event, the Caughlin fire in Reno, fuel breaks coupled with adequate defensible space allowed firefighters to aggressively attack the rapidly spreading flames and prevent an even more devastating outcome.
To reduce the threat of high-intensity fire, it takes a community effort. Increased community protection can only be achieved when the work of land management agencies to reduce the 100-plus years of fuels that have accumulated is combined with individual homeowners taking responsibility for their properties and creating defensible space. A successful wildfire threat reduction strategy depends on the completion of both treatments for a successful outcome. When fire approaches, one without the other is futile.
Look to our neighbors on the South Shore to see the devastating outcome of a wildfire.
Treating the fuels is not a one-time event but must be an integral ongoing component of a comprehensive community protection effort.
Working together we can make a difference and achieve the safer community we all desire.
Norb Szczurek,
Division Chief, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District
/fire/management/fuel_
treatments.pdf) to the most recent success story that came out of Arizona's largest fire in the state's history, the Wallow Fire. The combined efforts of the fuels treatment, homeowner's defensible space and firefighting actions saved numerous homes and communities in very similar terrain and vegetation types that we have in the Lake Tahoe Basin. In the most recent urban wildfire event, the Caughlin fire in Reno, fuel breaks coupled with adequate defensible space allowed firefighters to aggressively attack the rapidly spreading flames and prevent an even more devastating outcome.
To reduce the threat of high-intensity fire, it takes a community effort. Increased community protection can only be achieved when the work of land management agencies to reduce the 100-plus years of fuels that have accumulated is combined with individual homeowners taking responsibility for their properties and creating defensible space. A successful wildfire threat reduction strategy depends on the completion of both treatments for a successful outcome. When fire approaches, one without the other is futile.
Look to our neighbors on the South Shore to see the devastating outcome of a wildfire.
Treating the fuels is not a one-time event but must be an integral ongoing component of a comprehensive community protection effort.
Working together we can make a difference and achieve the safer community we all desire.
Norb Szczurek,
Division Chief, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District
