Tahoe National Forest Fire Resources who have spent the past month rigorously training with their crews preparing for the summer season have been utilizing their training to provide immediate assistance to the public during recent medical aid incidents and also to effectively initial attack and contain wildfires occurring across the Forest since Memorial Day Weekend.
On Sun. May 28, 2023 Yuba River Ranger District, Big Bend Engine 334 responded to two vehicle accidents, first on-scene to provide patient care at Eagle Lakes/I80 and then joined local first responders as second resource on-scene to a vehicle accident at Emigrant Gap.
Also on Sunday, over on the Truckee Ranger District, TNF Truckee Engines 371, 372, Fire Prevention Patrols 71, 72 and Division 6 were requested for a medical aid at Hoke Valley dispersed camping area. Immediately after, the same resources were dispatched to a roll over vehicle accident near Boyington Mill and provided medical aid to patient with minor injuries alongside Truckee Fire Protection District.
Wed. May 31st, 2023
on the Yuba River Ranger District, TNF White Cloud Engine 333 with Fire Prevention Patrol 33, contained a .7 acre private land owner escaped debris burn. The Buckeye Fire was located in the TNF Direct Protection Area at Buckeye and Lower Greenhorn Rd. outside of Nevada City. They completed mop up on 6.1.23 and fire has been called out.
Also on the YRRD, almost an hour after the Buckeye Fire Dispatch, TNF Truckee Engine 373 with Big Bend Fire Prevention Patrol 34 responded to the .1 acre Bowman Fire off of Bowman Lake Rd. A Fire investigation determined the cause to be from an escaped campfire. TNF Big Bend Engine 334 returned the next morning and cold-trailed the fire area feeling with their bare hands to ensure there was no remaining heat and called it out.
On June 1st, on the Sierraville Ranger District, Sierraville Fire Prevention Patrols 61, 62, TNF Truckee Engines 372, 373, firefighters from Sierraville Engine 361, Truckee Hotshots, Water Tender 234 with TNF Battalion 61 quickly responded to a 1/2 acre lightning holdover wildfire, ignited from a previous day’s thunderstorm in the Spring Valley Ranch area. The Spring Fire was contained and TNF firefighters put the fire in patrol status on 6.2.23
Yesterday evening 6.4.23, Tahoe National Forest Dispatch maintained their incident readiness and support for the TNF Engines and Firefighters returning to quarters after being dispatched to the three wildfires reported on the Tahoe National Forest between 4:45pm-5:45pm on June 4, 2023.
At approx. 4:45pm on the Yuba River Ranger District, TNF Big Bend Engine 334, Water Tender 234, firefighters in Utility 33, and Battalion 32 responded and contained the 3/4 acre Valencia Fire ignited by an escaped private residential debris burn pile near Burlington Ridge off of Hwy 20. The Valencia Fire is in patrol status.
Forty minutes after the Valencia Fire report, on the Truckee Ranger District, TNF Engines 371 and 372 were dispatched to a lightning-caused fire, consisting of a single juniper tree with 20’x20’ area of ground fire. Firefighters quickly took action to suppress the fire in the tree and contain and mop up the Logger Fire, located on the north side of Stampede Reservoir. The Logger Fire is in patrol status.
Ten minutes after the Logger Fire dispatch, on the Sierraville Ranger District, TNF Engine 362 responded to a report that came into TNF Dispatch of a single tree lightning-caused fire with a small footprint of surface fire. TNF Sierraville Engine 362 contained, and mopped up the Badenaugh Fire in the Badenaugh Canyon area south of Loyalton, CA. Mop up efforts to extinguish all remaining heat continued today and the Fire is now controlled and in patrol status.
Once these wildfires are contained, controlled- with all heat that could threaten containment extinguished, they are put into patrol status and are repeatedly checked to ensure all heat is extinguished before being officially called out by TNF Fire Resources.
We appreciate the public’s vigilance and immediate reporting of the lightning-caused wildfires resulting in quick and effective initial attacks by our TNF Firefighters, coordinated by our TNF Dispatch team.
After recent thunderstorms bringing lightning across the Tahoe National Forest, FireWatch 51-a fixed wing aircraft using heat detecting, Infrared cameras provided aerial reconnaissance to detect any new lightning-caused wildfires. As thunderstorms continue to be forecasted across the TNF, Tahoe National Forest Aviation Officer Roger Caballero in a Type 3 Astar B3 contracted Helicopter 7XL stationed at White Cloud Helibase will continue flying reconnaissance missions with the capability to provide water-dropping/fire support when needed.
These incidents serve as a reminder of the importance of the personal responsibility needed to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience on the Tahoe National Forest. These human and lightning-caused wildfires also indicate that areas across the TNF are conducive to wildfire starts.
To ensure your fire doesn’t start a wildfire,
✅ Know Where to Go where campfires are permitted.
✅Stay informed and adhere to any Fire restrictions. TNF Fire Restrictions can be found on https://www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe
✅Aquire appropriate fire permits.
✅ Follow all instructions on residential Burn Permits-https://burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/ or California Campfire permits-for camping outside of a developed designated campground. https://www.readyforwildfire.org/permits/campfire-permit/
✅Always have water and a shovel nearby. Clear area down to mineral soil at least 5ft. around where you intend to have a fire to prevent fire spread.
✅Never leave a fire unattended and fully extinguish fire before leaving to avoid starting a wildfire.
⚡️Lightning holdover wildfires can appear days and even weeks after a thunderstorm with warming temperatures, drying fuels and winds increasing the fire activity and visibility.
✅Call 911 to report a wildfire.
Meredith Anello TNF Firefighter/Fire PIO
Tahoe National Forest Truckee Engines 371, 372, Patrols 71, 72, with Division 6 Joe Griffin respond to a medical aid and rollover vehicle accident near Boyington Mill utilizing their medical skills and response training to provide necessary patient care.
📸 photo by TNF Engine Captain 371 Greg Lowdermilk
📸 photo by TNF Engine Captain 371 Greg Lowdermilk
TNF YRRD Bowman Fire
TNF Engine 334 cold-trailing fire area by hand to ensure there is no remaining heat.📸 Photo by TNF Engine 334 Assistant Fire Engine Operator Jake Cathcart
TNF Engine 334 cold-trailing fire area by hand to ensure there is no remaining heat.📸 Photo by TNF Engine 334 Assistant Fire Engine Operator Jake Cathcart
Tahoe National Forest Truckee Engines 371, 372, Patrols 71, 72, with Division 6 Joe Griffin respond to a medical aid and rollover vehicle accident near Boyington Mill utilizing their medical skills and response training to provide necessary patient care.
📸 photo by TNF Engine Captain 371 Greg Lowdermilk
📸 photo by TNF Engine Captain 371 Greg Lowdermilk
