Tahoe Truckee Region Public Safety Digest

Snow-covered sidewalks near some business properties along U.S. Highway 50 have created unsafe conditions for pedestrians and the city has sent warnings.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council voted to sign a five-year lease for city offices, discussed housing initiatives, and voted for a program focused on first responders.

El Dorado County Fire and the Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District may soon be parts of a greater whole.

The strong storm system moving into Lake Tahoe on Jan. 10 is affecting travel, closing schools and possibly creating delays at ski resorts.

In anticipation of hazardous conditions from stormy weather, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office sent an alert to smartphones on Jan 4. The only problem? Few were able to read the warning for nearly 20 minutes.

South Lake Tahoe Fire Chief Jim Drennan has selected Captain Justin Keys as battalion chief and Cpt. Kim George as fire marshal, effective Dec. 10 and Jan. 9 respectively.

The El Dorado County Fire Protection District has committed to staffing an additional ambulance that will restore a gap in services that occurred when staffing shortages shut down Diamond Springs Medic 49. The medic unit is expected to be back in service early spring.

Following years of research and analysis of current fire trends, Cal Fire will update its map of fire hazard severity zones that ranks rural and unincorporated areas based on anticipated risk of wildfires.

Higher monthly bills might jolt PG&E customers in the wake of the utility's request for additional revenue due to the company's spending on wildfire mitigation and catastrophic events.

Facing a mental health crisis, Cal Fire crews sought less of a workload. But they have to wait two years under their new contract.

The Nevada County Elections Office results released Nov. 22 showed that the “No” on Measure V campaign has increased its lead to a margin of 1,733 votes. Measure V would have implemented a half-cent sales tax, intended to help provide wildfire prevention, emergency services, and disaster readiness.

The Olympic Valley Community Wildfire Protection Plan was approved of by the district and will now be reviewed by Cal Fire, USDA Forest Service, Firewise USA and the Placer County Board of Supervisors.

Measure V, the ½ cent sales tax intended to help provide wildfire prevention, emergency services and disaster readiness, is currently failing according to totals released by the Nevada County Elections Office.

State regulators plan to impose a $155.4 million fine against PG&E Corp. over the Zogg Fire, which killed four people in Shasta County. PG&E is already under criminal indictment in the fire, and has pleaded innocent to manslaughter and other charges.

Scientists at the University of Nevada, Reno, are using a variety of new technologies with massive amounts of data and computational power to model and map fire-vulnerable forest vegetation across millions of acres in California.

The Mosquito Fire is 100 percent contained, according to an incident report from the U.S. Forest Service, though smoke from “small islands of unburned vegetation within the perimeter may be more visible on Monday as drier conditions arrive.”

Gas stoves in California homes are leaking cancer-causing benzene, researchers found in a new study, though they say more research is needed to understand how many homes have leaks.

A study by researchers at UCLA and the University of Chicago says that California’s wildfires of 2020 destroyed 4.2 million acres of forest—and erased years of progress the state made on battling climate change.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, trying to ease an insurance crisis that’s hurt rural California, has announced that all carriers active in fire-prone communities must incorporate his “Safer from Wildfires” program into their premiums.

According to the first in a series of reports to come from a consulting firm hired by California officials, PG&E’s efforts to improve wildfire safety are hindered by aging equipment, damaged power poles and hazardous trees that went undetected by the utility’s crews.

One of California’s top elected officials announced steps to limit how developments can be built in areas that are at highest risk of wildfire. Attorney General Rob Bonta released guidelines for local governments to follow when they are deciding whether to approve subdivisions in the “wildland urban interface.”

The growth and spread of algae is one reason blue lakes around the world can go green in the summer. Most algae in Lake Tahoe does not pose a health risk to people or animals. Keep Tahoe Blue offers tips on dealing harmful algal blooms.

A Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response team is assessing federal lands burned in the Mosquito Fire, with the goal of ensuring safety for all in the Tahoe and Eldorado national forests, and YubaNet features many of the images captured by the team.

National Fire Prevention Week, established in remembrance of the Chicago Fire of 1891, has been observed starting the second Sunday in October since 1922. It is the longest-running health and safety observance on record, according to the National Archives and Records Administration.

North Tahoe Fire Protection District accepted two grants during its September meeting that will be used for a rescue apparatus, extrication equipment and advanced cancer screening for firefighters, the district announced.

The Placer County Big Trees Grove, located in Tahoe National Forest, was considered at risk when the Mosquito Fire began. Forest officials shared video of measures taken to protect the grove before and during the fire.

California has temporarily banned insurance companies from dropping customers in areas affected by recent wildfires, a day after evacuation orders were lifted for residents near the Mosquito Fire.

PG&E Corp. said Sept. 8 that fire investigators “placed caution tape” around a transmission pole near where the Mosquito Fire started. The utility said it hadn’t observed “damage or abnormal conditions” but filed a report with the PUC “out of an abundance of caution.”

Speeding, reckless driving, and highway violence have all increased in Tahoe/Truckee in recent years, as more people move to the area and drivers increase their speeds.

The South Lake Tahoe City Council approved a pilot traffic calming project in the Lakeview (Al Tahoe) and Highland Woods neighborhoods, where residents have complained about visitors cutting throughs, speeding and illegally parking.

Take Care Tahoe, Lake Tahoe’s collaborative stewardship campaign, is hosting a launch event at Sand Harbor State Park to kick off “Take it Slow, Tahoe” a campaign to remind drivers to be careful and watch out for people and animals.

Toxic algae has been discovered in a creek on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore at strong enough levels in General Creek to trigger posted warning signs. Those enjoying the outdoors with pets should stay away from algae mats in the water.