Why not get a head start and begin planning what you want to accomplish for the 2025 season. Now is also a great time to connect with your neighbors or Firewise committee and set goals for the coming months. Once the weather starts warming and there is less snow on the ground; remind neighbors in your community to rake their pine needles and clear wood piles away from their house! Doing work in more frequent increments will prevent it from building up down the line.



We are already gearing up and preparing for Spring 2025. This includes organizing initial neighborhood leader meetings and workshops. We look forward to another great season of fostering local wildfire preparedness and assisting neighborhoods in their continued efforts!

We have also been revamping our websites tahoelivingwithfire.com and tahoercd.org to make them more user-friendly and with the most updated information.

Recently we have been busy working with the 'Climate Resiliency Fellows' who are promoting wildfire preparedness with the City of South Lake Tahoe Fire. To learn more about where their next 'pop ups' will be follow them on social media.

City of South Lake Tahoe Fire and Lake Valley Fire, Tahoe Bagel

You can still request free defensible space inspections throughout the winter in all fire districts excluding the City of South Lake Tahoe. Coming up in Spring you will soon be able to request chipping services to accompany your neighborhood workday efforts. Chipping services as well as dumpster rentals can be reserved on your local fire district's website. Check on there to see when they will be available!

CHECK OUT the Lake Tahoe Fire Chiefs recent press release to our community on the importance of defensible space and home hardening.

COMING UP

Fire Adapted Nevada Summit- March 17-18, at the University of Nevada Reno. For more information and to register use this link

Three Pines PopUp- March 26, 9-11am, join City of South Lake Tahoe Fire to learn more about becoming wildfire prepared

Fire Forum- April 17, 6-7.30pm at South Tahoe High School with Tahoe Chamber of Commerce

Earth Festival- April 19, 11-4pm at Lake Tahoe Community College

April has been engaged with community safety and forest health for 12 years working first with North Lake Tahoe Fire in Incline Village, NV, and now with North Tahoe Fire in Tahoe City, CA. She holds associate, bachelor, and master’s degrees in environmental science specializing in forestry, watershed management, soils, and prescribed fire. Being keenly aware of the natural fire return interval in Sierra Nevada Ecosystems, she works to mimic the role of natural fire in community protection and defensible space. This means removing ladder fuels and sub-dominant trees to promote the growth of dominant trees and healthy forests. It also means removing any vegetation and materials next to your home that could catch embers and potentially ignite your home or office, serving to make the wildfire worse while you suffer significant losses.

April proudly holds the rank of Captain with North Tahoe Fire Protection District and serves as the Forest Fuels Manager. She oversees Fire Adapted and Firewise Communities and manages fuels reduction projects for the fire district. She is studying to become a licensed Registered Professional Forester in the State of CA to further promote fuels reduction and forest health projects.

When not working she enjoys dirt roads, quiet lakes, tall trees, biking single-track, hiking trails, viewing the stars, mushroom hunting, flower finding, and birding. She loves to talk rocks, trees, and ecosystems in general and is a huge fan of good music. She greatly values her family and friends and spending time with her husband David

Congratulations to our twenty six new Firewise groups. We saw a large increase in neighborhoods all around the lake in 2024.

Neighborhood Leader Updates:

Remember to send/let Michelle know-

• Your workday dates and times

• If you would like assistance from the California Conservancy Corps/High School students

• If you would like to sign up for USFS Stewardship agreements

• Adopt a Hydrant (see fire district links)