Agencies around Lake Tahoe release updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The 2025 Lake Tahoe Basin Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is now officially signed and valid, marking another significant milestone in regional wildfire preparedness for the Basin. CWPPs are community-driven plans that prioritize wildfire risk reduction, using local input and data to guide fuels reduction, improve preparedness, and address structural ignitability and wildfire response.

Public engagement over several months through meetings and surveys helped shape the plan to address the region’s most pressing wildfire risks. As implementation of the CWPP moves forward, ongoing collaboration will remain key to reducing wildfire resilience.

In 2022, the California Tahoe Conservancy (Conservancy) awarded a California Department of Conservation Regional Forest and Fire Capacity grant to the Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) in coordination with the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team to complete an update of the Basin’s CWPP. With the CWPP now finalized, agencies, land managers, and communities have a strategic framework to pursue funding for implementing critical wildfire mitigation actions across the Basin.

The update introduces a web-based platform that makes wildfire information more accessible and interactive. The Lake Tahoe Basin CWPP is available on ArcGIS Hub, offering interactive ArcGIS StoryMaps that enable users to explore the CWPP through dynamic maps, graphics, and other engaging resources. The StoryMaps are divided by fire districts around Lake Tahoe.

The update also integrates advanced tools, including Vibrant Planet software, which uses data and scientific modeling to assist land managers in planning fuels reduction treatments and other wildfire mitigation strategies. This software helped identify areas that will benefit most from these actions, prioritizing efforts that reduce risk to communities and enhance ecological resilience.

“Tahoe RCD is proud to have worked alongside our partners and the public to develop a plan that prioritizes both wildfire safety and ecological resilience,” said Mike Vollmer, executive director of Tahoe RCD. “This updated plan not only provides a strategic framework for reducing wildfire risk but also empowers our communities with innovative tools and accessible information to take action.”

To explore the finalized CWPP and interactive StoryMaps, visit the ArcGIS Hub here.