LAKE TAHOE – The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team encourages area residents and visitors to “Fight fire with a plan” during July’s Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Month.
While the team’s in-person events have been postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions, wildfire season isn’t bound to the same restrictions. Experts suggest preparing family, property and possessions now before a wildfire starts by creating a plan, such as:
- Develop a family evacuation plan.
- Assemble a Go-bag and a disaster supply kit for your home and vehicle.
- Create and maintain defensible space around homes.
- Sign up for emergency notifications for residents and visitors and stay informed.
- Reduce the threat of wildfire by learning about embers and how to harden your home. Attend the free virtual Tahoe Home Retrofit Workshop detailed below.
According to University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor emeritus and retired Chief Scientist for Wildfire and Durability for IBHS, Dr. Steve Quarles, “Post-wildfire assessments have shown that more than 60 percent of home ignitions are the result of wind-blown embers. The chance of home ignitions can be greatly reduced if residents create and maintain an effective defensible space on their property and take steps to harden their homes to make them more resistant to embers.”
A free virtual workshop to educate residents on how to harden their home against wildfire is scheduled for July 28. Attendees must pre-register at bit.ly/TahoeRetrofit
To learn more about how to prepare for wildfire, visit tahoelivingwithfire.com.
