Demo House
Your Defensible Space Mitigation Efforts Count
In order to maintain our national Firewise recognition, we would like 100% of our residents to report all of the hours spent raking pine needles, documenting the number of cans or bags of combustible fuels they removed from their property, and the amount of money that was spent to improve the survivability of their homes.
The Caldor Fire was our “wake-up call” to continue to work together and take action now to prevent the loss of life and property in the future.
Many of you and your neighbors have already started doing important risk reduction work around your houses. Numerous bags and cans of raked pine needles have been seen outside your houses that are ready for pickup by our garbage company. It is important that you document these efforts
for our report.
Your Al Tahoe Team Leaders have developed a “Time and Expense” form for you to use to record your hard work. Please do your part to keep our neighborhood safe, and spread the word to your neighbors to do the same. Remember, you are “only as safe as your next door neighbors,” and together we will be better prepared for the wildfire that we know from experience will not be an “if but a when” event.
– Thank you from your Al Tahoe Firewise USA Team Leaders
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Al Tahoe Community members need to record their defensible space clearing efforts?
In order for Al Tahoe Firewise to maintain national Firewise USA recognition status, our group must submit proof annually that we have completed at least $51,298 worth of defensible space/home hardening efforts to reduce wildfire risk in our community.
How is the $51,298 worth of effort calculated
Firewise USA calculates the work based on a predetermined volunteer rate (currently $31.80) and multiplies that by the number of dwelling units (1,611) in our Al Tahoe community.
How do I record/show my work for this report?
We ask that community members complete a “Time and Expense” sheet showing their completed work or educational outreach. The time sheets can be found here: Al Tahoe Firewise Time and Expense Sheet
What kind of work counts towards creating defensible space and home hardening?
There are many examples. Most commonly, they include clearing brush, trees, and pine needles but can also include attending educational/community events or making home hardening improvements to your house. A more comprehensive list can be found here: Time and Expense Examples
Demo House
Our community efforts are making a difference. Firewise events and educational programs have provided opportunities for residents to become proactive with their defensible space management.
Our goal is to draw attention to what “can and should be done” on each parcel in our community. Below are BEFORE and AFTER pictures of one home on Freel Peak that had defensible space treatment applied by South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and Tahoe Douglas Zephyr Crews on our “Al Tahoe Clean-up Day” in 2020.
Every hour spent raking pine needles, every bag of combustible fuels removed, and every dollar invested in home survivability and attending Firewise events counts, and should be reported annually.
A demonstration on how to prepare defensible space around an Al Tahoe resident’s home was conducted on our “first” clean up day in 2020. A senior/disabled homeowner’s property was selected to have their property “hardened” and made “fire resistant” by the Tahoe Douglas Zephyr Fire Department and South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue crew members.
Front Yard Pre Clean Up
Front Yard Post Clean Up
Back Yard Cleanup
Back Yard Post Cleanup
This “Demo” house provided residents with an example of what neighbors can do to provide defensible space around their homes to protect life and property in the event of a wildfire.
Thank you, Crews, for the tree and brush removal, trimming, thinning, and chipping, the removal of lumber, wood piles and combustible
materials around the home, and the raking of “3 dump load trucks” full of pine needles and debris from the yard and roof of this property.
Front with Crew Loading Truck
Side with Fire Crew Raking
Time and Expense Forms
Many of you and your neighbors have already started doing important risk reduction work around your houses. Numerous bags and cans of raked pine needles have been seen outside your houses that are ready for pickup by our garbage company. It is important that you document these efforts for our report.
Your Al Tahoe Team Leaders have developed a “Time and Expense” form for you to use to record your hard work.
