Wildfire preparedness workshop seeks to build community
May 17th, 2024May 17th, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
Tahoe Fires & Fuels Team
Author: Katelyn Welsh kwelsh@tahoedailytribune.com
Wildfire preparedness workshop seeks to build community
Contact: Michelle McLean, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, mmclean@tahoercd, 530.432.1501 x14
Caldor Fire burn area on Monday, May 13.
Hannah Pence / Tahoe Daily Tribune
KINGS BEACH, Calif. – The Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team is hosting a Community Wildfire Preparedness Workshop on June 1. The event runs from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach.
The event isn’t just for residents and homeowners. It’s open to anyone, including visitors.
Presenting agencies include the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, University of Nevada, Reno, Living with Fire Tahoe, North Tahoe Fire, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, and CalFire.
Firewise and Fire Adapted Communities Program neighborhood leaders are also on the agenda to speak. These are community members actively organizing their neighborhoods to be wildfire prepared. “It really brings into context, it’s not just agencies talking,” Michelle McLean with TRCD says, “it’s also people who are actually doing the work in their own neighborhoods.”
It’s free to the public and attendees can learn about home hardening, defensible space, prescribed fire, Firewise and other wildfire topics. McLean says these events are just as much about connecting the community and meeting people as they are about educating.
Neighborhood leaders experience these events enhancing their community and neighborhoods. McLean says building these relationships and community ties before emergencies happen is important and beneficial. They experienced this during the Caldor fire. “They all knew exactly what to do,” McLean says, “Everyone was communicating. They knew everyone was safe. And so, it just really creates that cohesiveness and makes you feel like you’re part of something. Like other people are looking out for you.”
Anyone wanting to attend can register for the event on Living with Fire Tahoe’s website