Fire Threatens Lake Tahoe

[fuzzis]

Fire destroys 165 homes near Lake Tahoe, Calif. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19406288/)
Wind-driven blaze scorches 750 acres, says El Dorado Sheriff's Department

MEYERS, Calif. - A wind-whipped wildfire destroyed at least 165 homes and other structures and scorched close to 2,000 acres just southwest of Lake Tahoe on Sunday, fire officials said.

El Dorado County Sheriff's Lt. Kevin House said the fire is less than 5 percent contained, but no injuries or deaths have been reported. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

"This thing is raging out of control, and there's no estimate as to when that may change," House said....

This makes me so sad. One of the greatest things about living in Reno was that you were so close to Tahoe, which is an absolutely breath-taking place. For years...YEARS...they have been talking about how precarious the fire situation in Tahoe is. With less federal dollars coming in and increased regulation about run-off into the lake to protect the clarity, there has been very little preventative logging to remove dead pinion pines (the result of a beetle infestation). There have also been fewer controlled burns to protect the forest. Add to that an aging fleet of air support (some of which has been grounded in recent years because of several deadly crashes), it's a nightmare that has been waiting to happen.

Wild fires are frightening. We had to evacuate for two. With the right conditions, something that looks miles away can be at your doorstep in moments.

[timforjesus]

they definitely have my prayers... it sucks to lose your home... I just pray that God will "give his angels charge over them and bear them up in their hands lest they dash their foot on a stone"(Psalm 91:11-12)

[dollfus46]

Fire destroys 165 homes near Lake Tahoe, Calif. (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19406288/)
Wind-driven blaze scorches 750 acres, says El Dorado Sheriff's Department



This makes me so sad. One of the greatest things about living in Reno was that you were so close to Tahoe, which is an absolutely breath-taking place. For years...YEARS...they have been talking about how precarious the fire situation in Tahoe is. With less federal dollars coming in and increased regulation about run-off into the lake to protect the clarity, there has been very little preventative logging to remove dead pinion pines (the result of a beetle infestation). There have also been fewer controlled burns to protect the forest. Add to that an aging fleet of air support (some of which has been grounded in recent years because of several deadly crashes), it's a nightmare that has been waiting to happen.

Wild fires are frightening. We had to evacuate for two. With the right conditions, something that looks miles away can be at your doorstep in moments.

Sad. And when you read about all the pork barrel spending in congress for worthless projects it really pisses you off. It doesn't sink in until we read about the $Billions annually pissed away by our representatives and the various govenment agencies.
Not trying to divert the conversation, Fuzzis but what happened to Line Item Veto? I thought we passed that under Clinton.

[fuzzis]

Here's the hometown paper's (http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070624/NEWS18/70624018/1002) take on what's going on at Tahoe. Homes "exploding in flames".

[fuzzis]

The fire jumped Hwy 89 (http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007706270418). The fire is now 1 mile away from the lake. It is a strange twist that for many, many years the TRPA has been putting in place policies to protect the clarity of the lake, including limiting logging to prevent run-on and limiting the amount of development (you may have bought a lot in Tahoe, but you won't necessarily get to build on it), and now the lake is covered in ash.

The area is so dry that over the weekend in Reno, a man cutting weeds with a lawnmower, hit some rocks and the resulting sparks started a brush fire.

On GMA this morning, they showed a woman talking about the order to evacuate and how people were coming through telling them to go now, take what you have and leave, there's no more time. That's a moment of panic. I remember when we evacuated for the Crystal Peak fire--it was on the mountain across the highway, still about three miles away, but you could see it coming and having spent the previous days watching the fire moving, you knew it was entirely possible that it was going to be at your doorstep within moments.

[Pirate_129]

It's such a shame for a place as beautiful as Lake Tahoe to be in this much danger. The wife and I were in Tahoe when I proposed and it has a special place in our hearts. I have a picture of us standing in front of the lake next to my monitor in my office. My prayers go out to the residents and firefighters that are doing what they can to improve the situation.

[fuzzis]

Most of my Lake Tahoe pics are the pre-digital era. I have one that was taken on New Year's Eve...we'd decided to make a quick run up during the day down to Emerald Bay to play with the new telefoto lens I'd gotten for Christmas. It was cold and snowy and the roads were a mess. Really stupid for us to have been out. But that picture was worth it. Stalk of a dead tree in the foreground-gray and white; white snow on the ground; the lake a rich navy blue; the sky much lighter shades of blue; and almost a perfect reflection of the mountains on the lake. *Love* that picture.

Some other really good times there. I think the best wedding I ever attended was on a Catamaran at sunset, heading out of Zephyr Cove. The bride was from England, and her mother brought over her mother's veil to go with Laura's dress. The wind came up, and the next thing we knew, the veil was in the lake, no chance to get it back. A few sniffles about it being lost and then quite a few laughs about Nessie getting married.