Update: Prescribed fire operations are also expected to begin on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, near National Avenue and Highway 267. The operation is three to five acres and will continue through the week.

U.S. Forest Service fuels management crews are scheduled to resume prescribed fire operations in the Rubicon Bay area beginning tomorrow, Wednesday, August 17, 2011. Operations are expected to continue through the week. In addition, operations are scheduled to begin on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe near National Avenue and Hwy 267. In both areas, crews expect to conduct operations on three to five acres and operations are expected to continue through the week. All prescribed fire operations are dependent on weather and available staffing.

Residents and visitors can expect to see smoke from these prescribed fire project areas and smoke may be visible on Highway 89 on the West Shore and Highway 267 on the North Shore. Forest Service prescribed fire managers expect good dispersion of smoke based on predicted weather. Smoke management is part of every prescribed fire burn plan, and efforts are taken to reduce actual or potential smoke impacts on community areas.

This and other prescribed fire projects are designed to reduce wildfire risks to communities and critical resources.

State and local fire management agencies may also be conducting prescribed fire work during this period.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/RxFireOps .

To learn more about the efforts to reduce catastrophic wildfire risks in the Tahoe Basin read the Lake Tahoe Basin Multi-jurisdictional Fuel Reduction Plan found at http://fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm9_045864.pdf.

Take a few moments to visit an excellent web site and learn about Prescribed Fire vs. Wildfire at: http://www.smokeybear.com/prescribed-fires.asp.