Forest Service fire chief bans residential burning

Hot, dry weather creates high risk

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. – The forest fire chief for the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is suspending residential burning, also known as "dooryard" burning, effective today, Wednesday, July 18, 2012, through the remainder of fire season.  The prohibition applies to debris burning on private, state and federal lands of El Dorado and Placer counties in the Lake Tahoe Basin.  Residential debris burning is already banned within the City of South Lake Tahoe, and in both the Tahoe Douglas and North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection districts in Nevada.

Lake Tahoe weather conditions have generally been hot, dry and windy, leading fire protection officials to move to end residential debris burning due to increased risks.  The ban is for residential burns only and does not prevent federal, state and local fire managers from conducting prescribed fire operations necessary for fuels reduction on public lands.  Prescribed fire work is conducted by fully equipped professional wildland firefighting crews under favorable weather conditions.

The ban also does not prohibit small, contained campfires on private land outside the City of South Lake Tahoe, built by the property owner or with the written permission of the property owner.  Remember never to leave campfires unattended and always extinguish them properly -- drown, stir and feel.

The residential burn ban will remain in effect until temperatures, winds and humidity allow for safer conditions.