Submitted by Tia Rancourt, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District

Incline Village, NV — With warmer weather on the horizon, it’s time to spring into action and prepare for wildfire season. The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District will soon begin offering Defensible Space Inspections and Curbside Chipping Services for residents of Incline Village and Crystal Bay.

Online registration starts on May 5, 2025, and services will begin the week of May 12, 2025.

Visit www.nltfpd.org/curbside-chipping for full details and to submit your request.

Here’s what to expect:

• Defensible Space Evaluations: After submitting your request, our team will contact you within two weeks to schedule your evaluation.
• Chipping Services: Requests are completed on a rolling basis as staffing allows. Please be aware that crews may be delayed if responding to wildfire incidents.

To help us continue offering these services at no cost, we ask that you fill out the online request form thoroughly and accurately.

Creating defensible space is one of the most important actions you can take to protect your home from wildfire. As part of this effort, NLTFPD can issue free tree removal permits for fire hazard trees—however, tree removal must be part of a complete defensible space treatment.

For Waste Management curbside yard debris collection information, including dates and guidelines, please click here.

Finally, don’t forget to sign up for emergency alert notifications to stay informed during the wildfire season. Washoe County utilizes the Rave Alert system—you can register here: Sign Up – Smart911, or by downloading the Smart911 app.

Let’s work together to keep our community safe and fire ready.

Originally Published in Islands Travel Guides, 04/14/2025, Written by Lauren Kershner

With serene beaches and crystal clear waters, Lake Tahoe is an enchanting destination for a nature-filled getaway. Straddling the California-Nevada border and covering 191 square miles, the pristine lake is encircled by a myriad of sparkling gems to discover — from the rustic, year-round resort at Camp Richardson with endless outdoor recreation to the special Kings Beach for swimming and sunbathing. If you want to explore it all, the 72-mile loop around the lake takes about three hours to drive, creating the perfect itinerary for a family-friendly road trip.

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Photo Shutterstock

Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 4/11/2025, Written by Katelyn Welsh

The bill goes by Senate Bill 83 this legislative session, but it’s not the first time a bill of this kind has seen Nevada legislative chambers. This bill, and those prior like it, are important for maintaining Lake Tahoe’s clarity, environmental health, and accessibility.

The reason—the bill is the mechanism that funds Nevada’s portion of the Environmental Improvement Program, which is a project-based multi-agency collaboration across both California and Nevada to improve Lake Tahoe’s environmental health.

“What we do is so critical to the environment of Lake Tahoe and restoring the lake and the basin,” Kevin Fromherz says with the Nevada Division of State Lands, which is the agency sponsoring the bill. “The success of this funding will be success of these projects.”

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Originally published in Moonshine Ink, 04/10/2025, Ted Owens

Forgotten document highlights the rotary club’s role in hospital’s creation

In preparation for Tahoe Forest Hospital District’s 75th Anniversary, a curious document was discovered in some old files.

A handwritten, three-page letter dated Oct. 10, 1951, to Tahoe Forest Hospital District Director Jim Sherritt. The motivation for the letter appears to be in response to a note Sherritt sent to “Hobie” Snider inquiring about how the whole quest for the hospital started. At the time, the hospital was not yet open; it was, in fact, still under construction.

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Courtesy Image: Moonshine Ink

Originally Published in Moonshine Ink, 04/10/2025, Written by Alex Hoeft

With a winter dialed in at 95% of normal snowpack as of press deadline, the dry days of 2025 are ahead. Folks, welcome to wildfire season.

The season typically starts in May each year, though Moonshine has quoted some people over the years talking about how the season is beginning to stretch on both ends beyond its traditionally recognized timeframe (May through November).

In this edition’s YATA, we take a look at which communities in our coverage area are “fire adapted,” meaning they’ve established such preparation efforts as packing go-bags, creating evacuation plans, and signing up for emergency alerts; and “Firewise,” a national program recognizing neighborhoods that have completed specific criteria as completing a wildfire risk assessment, 3-year action plan, and more. The two designations can be performed concurrently.

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Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 04/08/2025, Staff Report

Classical Tahoe returns for its 14th season from July 12 to Aug. 10, bringing four weeks of world-class orchestral, jazz and chamber music performances to North Lake Tahoe. The festival features 16 captivating concerts with an exceptional lineup of over 60 elite musicians, conductors, dancers and artists.  Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Lake Tahoe, Classical Tahoe offers an intimate and immersive concert experience where music and nature harmonize to create unique performances. Events will be held at the Ricardi Pavilion at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe and various venues throughout Incline Village. Tickets are available for purchase online here.

“Our open-air venues create a deep connection between music and nature. Over four immersive weeks, audiences can experience a diverse lineup, from jazz to ballet, symphony orchestra to chamber music,” said Laura Hamilton, Classical Tahoe artistic director. “Each performance is designed to be a ‘WOW’ moment that lingers long after the final note.”

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