Tahoe Basin Fire Restrictions End Oct 3

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Tahoe Basin Fire Restrictions End Oct 3

Residential Debris Burning Restrictions also to be lifted

By: USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Mgt Unit
Published: Oct 2, 2007 at 08:27

USDA Forest Service Fire Management Officer Kit Bailey announced the end of Tahoe Basin Fire Restrictions, effective October 3, 2007. In addition, in coordination with CalFire, residential debris burning restrictions are being lifted. Residents are urged to contact their local Fire Department or Fire Protection District station for details prior to conducting residential debris burning.

2007 fire restrictions prohibited campfires except within established fee campgrounds that provide fire rings, and prohibited charcoal fires at beaches and day use areas. Smoking has been restricted to the interiors of structures and vehicles, and to properly cleared areas. These restrictions will be lifted effective Wednesday, October 3. Residents and visitors should be aware that Forest Service fire regulations require the use of stoves year-round in most backcountry areas and in the Desolation Wilderness, and that valid campfire permits are required for both stoves and campfires. Charcoal fires will again be allowed at Forest Service beaches and other developed day use areas without a permit.

The Tahoe Basin 2007 Fire Season was one of the driest on record with exceptionally low fuel moistures and humidity by Mid-June. Just prior to the 3,100 acre Angora Fire which started on June 24, the dryness of dead and down fuels (measured by fuel moisture) on the forest floor was comparable to conditions usually experienced in August. The Angora Fire was the result of an illegal campfire, started and abandoned in an area where fires are prohibited year-round. Although the cause of the fire has been established, the individual responsible is yet to be identified.

Recent rain, snow and increased humidity, along with cooling temperatures, have significantly reduced wildfire risks. Despite improved conditions, the public should continue to use great caution with all potential sources of ignition, and be aware of, and follow fire regulations.

For more information, call the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Forest Supervisor's Office at: (530) 543-2694.

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How fires get their names

Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

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Tuesday, October 2, 2007