Hazardous Fuels Reduction Projects Resume at Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif., May 29, 2025 – Hazardous fuels reduction (forest thinning) projects are underway or scheduled to resume on National Forest System lands in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Hand and mechanical thinning treatments are vital management tools used by land managers on public lands to help protect neighborhoods and communities by removing excess vegetation (fuels) that can feed unwanted wildfires. These projects also complement defensible space and home hardening efforts on private property.

When work is taking place, access to some areas may be temporarily disrupted. The public is reminded to be aware of fuels reduction activity and keep a safe distance from heavy equipment and falling trees.

The following hand and mechanical hazardous fuels reduction projects are scheduled for spring and summer 2025:

Tahoe Basin Caldor Hazard Tree Fuels Reduction

Approximately 603 acres of the Caldor Hazard Tree Mechanical and Hand Thin projects are planned for this summer and work has begun or will start soon in the following areas:

• Warr Trail near Highway 89, Saxon Creek Trail, Shakori Drive, Iroquois Drive, Santa Claus Drive and Old Meyers Grade.
• Other areas planned for work this season include Fountain Place Road, Coral Loop, Echo Summit and Christmas Valley.

South Tahoe Fuels Treatment

Approximately 487 acres of the Al Tahoe Mechanical Thinning Project are planned for this summer and work is underway near the following locations:

• Garbage Dump Road, Oneidas Street and Cold Creek Trail
• Other areas planned for work this season include Pioneer Trail and Al Tahoe Blvd. and Bijou Creek and Saddle Road.

Liberty Utilities Resilience Corridors

Approximately 718 acres for the Liberty Utilities Resilience Corridors Mechanical and Hand Thin projects are planned for this summer. Work is underway near the following locations:

• Cathedral Road and D.L. Bliss State Park
• Other locations include Fallen Leaf Lake, and other areas along the Highway 89 corridor between South Lake Tahoe and D.L. Bliss State Park.

West Shore Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction

Approximately 254 acres of the Eagle Hand Thinning Project are planned for this summer and work is underway in the following location:

• Blackwood Canyon on Barker Pass Road

Fuels reduction treatments not only reduce the risk of wildfire, they also contribute to improved forest health, wildlife habitat, and watershed and forest resilience. These treatments improve forest health by thinning trees in dense areas, which reduces competition for water, sunlight and nutrients and allows remaining trees to grow larger. Forest thinning also decreases the potential for spreading tree diseases and insect infestations such as white pine blister rust, dwarf mistletoe and bark beetles.

The Forest Service uses different methods during fuels reduction treatments that include mechanical and hand thinning. Mechanical thinning utilizes heavy equipment to remove trees and most of the excess vegetation. Hand thinning is accomplished by hand crews using chainsaws to remove trees and pile excess material for burning after the piles dry.

Short-term effects of fuels reduction treatments may include temporary closures of recreational areas and changes to the appearance of Lake Tahoe Basin forests. Treated areas may look disturbed immediately after treatment, when fresh stumps, equipment tracks, and freshly chipped or masticated vegetation are visually obvious. These areas recover quickly and improve ecologically as new vegetation growth occurs within a few years.

For more information on these projects, contact Ariana Vargas.

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Image caption/credit: A mechanical tree harvester removes limbs from a cut tree during fuels reduction operations. USDA Forest Service Photo.

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