Lake Tahoe fire protection agencies all agree: defensible space isn’t a bunch of hot air. To back up the importance of defensible space, they’re organizing a free Wildfire Awareness Week kick-off event that includes free tethered Smokey Bear hot air balloon rides (weather permitting), firefighter photo opportunities, a pancake breakfast and more on Saturday, May 25^th from 8am – 12pm outside MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa in South Lake Tahoe.

Galvanizing around raising awareness of reducing fuels to reduce the risk of wildfire, local
fire protection agencies including the USDA Forest Service, regional fire districts, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Nevada Division of Forestry are hosting the free kick-off event to mark the start of Lake Tahoe’s 2013 Wildfire Awareness Week, May 26 – June 2. With the danger of wildfire season peaking in the summer months, Wildfire Awareness Week is an ideal time for homeowners to create defensible space in the various zones around their property.

“Fire Chiefs around Lake Tahoe are concerned about an extraordinarily dry summer and
the high risk of wildfire this year,” says Eric Guevin, Fire Marshal of the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District. “There are easy steps homeowners can take to reduce the fuels and reduce the risk of wildfire invading their property while increasing the safety of their family, and we have an exciting event planned to help them learn how.”

The kick-off event will feature free family activities including tethered hot air balloon rides (weather permitting), photos with Smokey Bear, a pancake breakfast, information booths and defensible space demonstrations geared to provide Lake Tahoe homeowners with tips and money saving tricks to create defensible space around their property.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for families to come and have a great time while learning how to protect their homes, and the fragile environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin, from
the threat of a catastrophic wildfire,” said Kristi Boosman, Partnership and Communications Officer at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. The Wildfire Awareness Week campaign is made possible by a grant from the Nevada Division of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, along with the partnership of Lake Tahoe’s Fire Protection Districts: Tahoe Douglas FPD, North Lake Tahoe FPD, North Tahoe FPD, Meeks Bay FPD, Fallen Leaf FPD, Lake Valley FPD and South Lake Tahoe FD.

For more information, call (530) 542-2571 or visit www.LivingWithFire.info/Tahoe.

As it gets warmer, make yourself ember aware!

To see if your home is safe from the danger of embers during a wildfire and what you can do to reduce that risk, check out our interactive “Be Ember Aware” program.

Welcome to the new Living With Fire for Lake Tahoe website. We have reorganized everything to make it more user-friendly and added new resources as well. Please check out our newest features, the interactive Fire Adapted Communities digital model as well as the testimonial section in our Learning Center where we will share video interviews with homeowners, firefighters and others talking about their real-life experiences living and working in fire-prone areas. If you need wildfire preparedness information or have an idea for making the Living With Fire website more useful, please use our Contact Us tab and let us know.