One more prescribed burn for the season around Tahoe

RENO, Nev. (News 4-Fox 11) — As the heat returns this week, fire season will be back on many minds. The Tahoe Fuels Team is still actively working to reduce fire risk.

The fire crews around Tahoe have been preparing for this season for months as the risk is higher for the 2020 fire season. The fire crew will be conducting its last fire in preparation for the summer wildfire season which could be more active from a drier winter we've had.

The firefighters are hoping the spring rains are enough to delay the onset and give them more time to prep ahead of this year's wildfire season.

The burn will be conducted out in Tahoma, California at Sugar Pine Point State Park where four acres of hazardous fuels will be burned.

This is an understory fire which means hazardous material like pine needle beds, sticks and twigs, and pine cones are all burned under the canopy of the forest.

"Wildland firefighters will burn out areas ahead of a main fire to starve the main fire of fuels. Also on the state parks, for ecological restoration, fire is a natural process," said California State Parks Agent Rich Adams.

Fire districts use two different types of controlled burns: understory burning and pile burning. Pile burns happen more in the winter.

Weather conditions for these burns have to be just right, as the fire crews have this formula down to a science.

"People are curious about prescribed fires and they want to learn more about prescribed fire means there's a prescription. We have a prescription for the environmental conditions and the fire behavior," continued Adams.

For example, one of those conditions they watch closely is the wind, as gusts can drive flames out of control quicker.

It may seem counter-intuitive to fight fire with fire, but sometimes it's not even the fire that's the issue to begin with. It's all the highly flammable material around it which becomes hazardous in the event a fire breaks out.

So if you're traveling on State Route 89 you may see some smoke over the next few days. Otherwise, this is a smaller burn, so impacts will be limited since the winds will be calmer.

Additionally, the Forest Service is enacting campfire restrictions effective immediately. This means igniting or building a fire is now prohibited except in established campgrounds or facilities.

Since 95% of all wildfires are human-caused, they're doing their best to eliminate a big season.