Treated forest within the Smithneck Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction Project (source: sierravalley-rcd.org)
In September 2024, the importance of forest-thinning projects was illustrated when the Bear Fire ignited on the east side of the Tahoe National Forest. It was early fall but unseasonably hot, dry, and windy. With conditions ripe for a disaster, the blaze immediately threatened the community of Sierra Brooks.
While significant air and ground resources were deployed, the fire raged until it hit the Smithneck Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction Project. Completed between 2022 and 2023, the project removed dense small trees, brush, and grass from over 723 acres surrounding the town. As the rapidly growing wildfire entered this treated area, its energy and intensity dropped, allowing firefighters to stop its forward progression.
Stories like this put the value of forest rehabilitation projects into keen focus, as wildfires are a growing threat to many Tahoe National Forest communities. While the visual impact of prescribed burning may seem drastic at first, addressing unnaturally dense and diseased vegetation is essential to protect both the communities and forested headwaters of the Truckee River.
Most people don't think of forests as critical water infrastructure. Yet, a healthy forest is a powerful, nature-based system providing water quality, groundwater recharge, flood control ,and landscape stabilization. Mitigating wildfire risk for communities and water supplies is a primary driver for the Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership (MTRWFP).
After the Containment: Capturing the Cost of WildfireThe following examples show how dense tree canopies and alpine fuels can quickly escalate wildfire outbreaks that can take years to recover from:
Rocky Mountains: Within an 8-year span, the Hayman Fire (2002) and Buffalo Creek Fire (1996) collectively cost Denver Water over $26 million in initial cleanup, erosion control, sediment removal, and water quality treatment to address sediment flows into the Strontia Springs Reservoir.
Sierra Nevada: The disastrous 2018 Camp Fire mitigation efforts totaled over $10.8 million for the Paradise Irrigation District in the three years following the fire. The estimated total cost for main line replacement, leak repairs, and hazard mitigation is over $66 millionacross the original FEMA assessment project phases.
The Case for Cost AvoidanceThe biggest return on forest health investment comes from the costs avoided. Every dollar spent on fuel reduction (thinning, clearing, prescribed fire, etc.) acts as a barrier against multi-million-dollar disasters that can take years and even decades to recover from.
Clean Water: A healthy forest is the cheapest, most efficient water filter available, helping to moderate the need for chemicals during the water system treatment process.
Flood Events: Healthy forest soils and vegetation cover absorb and slow surface runoff, reducing the intensity of rapid runoff during heavy precipitation events.
Private & Community Infrastructure: For communities within the WUI, wildfire fuels mitigation can help protect homes, roads and basic service infrastructures (i.e., water, power, communication).
Outdoor Recreation & the Related Economy: Wildfires can profoundly impact outdoor recreation and the region’s primary economic industry through closures, smoke and long-term damages to trail networks and campgrounds.
All MTRWFP projects have been prioritized to protect the communities, headwaters, reservoirs, and primary stem of the middle Truckee River Watershed. To see the analysis that guided this process, go to the 10-Year Vegetation Management Plan.
When You See Smoke: Understanding Wildfire
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and seeing a plume rising above a ridgeline elicits concern and a desire to get more information. Within the Tahoe National Forest, the public can stay informed about active fires and prescribed burns on the USFS Alerts page.
The following chart helps categorize fire types by behavior and impact. At times, the MTRWFP may use prescribed burns to remove debris and vegetation on the forest floor. This controlled management tactic usually deployed when cooler, calmer days in the fall and spring are forecasted.
Low-IntensityBehavior and Intensity: Surface Fire — Burns slowly along the ground, consuming needles, leaves, and small brush.
Forest Impact: Beneficial — Burns dead vegetation, releases nutrients into the soil and reduces "ladder fuels" into trees.
Management Goal: Achieve this type of fire through prescribed burning and forest thinning.
Moderate-IntensityBehavior and Intensity: Passive Crown Fire — Burns hotter, with flames reaching into the lower branches of trees, scorching needles and smaller limbs.
Forest Impact: Mixed — Kills some small trees and stresses mature trees, but overall forest may survive. Creates a patchy burn mosaic.
Management Goal: Limit moderate-intensity fires near communities through fuels reduction.
High-IntensityBehavior and Intensity: Active Crown Fire — Burns extremely hot through the entire canopy. Flame lengths are often over 30 feet.
Forest Impact: Catastrophic — Kills virtually all trees, incinerates seeds, creates water-repellent (hydrophobic) soil, and causes massive erosion for years.
Management Goal: Prevent at all costs using mitigation and fuel breaks
Download Your Flyer Today!MTRWFP Active Projects to post, share and distribute!
As MTRWFP projects begin, informational flyers will be made available at truckeeforests.org/project-updates. The notices are meant to be shared and are easy to print for posting in public locations.
Information includes an overview map, estimated project duration and QR codes that link to more information about the project.
Click on the image to download the flyer and bookmark truckeeforests.org/project-updates to source other flyers on active projects to post and share.
Implementation Projects – 2025This page provides brief updates on project implementation progress and impacts to recreation and traffic.
Five Creeks – Cabin Creek
Updated: 5/16/25
- Area closure effective May 1, 2025, through January 31, 2026 for public safety. Closure Notice and Closure Map.
- No camping, recreation, or other activities within the closure are permitted.
- Recreation Impacts: Donkey Town Trail (previously known as Jackass) and El Burro Trail (previously known as A1) are reopened for mountain biking. Please be aware that the Forest Service Road typically ridden up to access these trails is partially in the closure area due to logging trucks utilizing the road. Please ride up El Burro to avoid the closure and logging trucks. Please park along highway 89 when biking/recreating in this area to avoid the closure area.
Updated: 5/16/25
- Area closure will be in effect once project starts implementation. Project anticipated to start implementation August 2025.
- No camping, recreation, or other activities within the closure are permitted.
- Recreation Impacts: The Big Chief Trail will be closed where it crosses through the project area. The Big Chief climbing area, trail to the Big Chief Climbing Area and parking areas will be closed.
Alder 89 WUI Fuels and Timber Sale
Updated: 5/16/25
- Area closure will be in effect once project starts implementation. Project anticipated to start implementation July/August 2025.
- No camping, recreation, or other activities within the closure are permitted.
- Recreation: Numerous trails will be impacted by the closure that cross through the project area. There are anticipated to include trails around Alder Creek Rd. and Carpenter Valley Rd. Please check back for exact trail impacts once project implementation has started.
Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley Fire Protection Project
Updated: 5/16/25
- Area closure will be in effect once project starts implementation. Project anticipated to start implementation August 2025.
- No camping, recreation, or other activities within the closure are permitted.
- Trails: Numerous trails are impacted by the closure that cross through the project area. Please check back for exact trail impacts once project implementation has started.
Ladybug Forest Health and Fuels Reduction Project
Updated: 5/16/25
- Some minor project work continues in this area this season. Please be heads up and pay attention to signs if in the area
