FORESTHILL, Calif. — The U.S. Forest Service is conducting a prescribed fire treatment in the Tahoe National Forest, sending smoke in the air and causing several residents to call in asking for information.
The Biggie Rx Project area consists of 2,620 acres of prescribed fire treatment to promote forest resilience to wildfire, insect and disease outbreaks and climate change, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The project began with a 150 acre underburn Tuesday with more planned ignitions throughout the week. It's happening about 14 miles east of Foresthill, the small mountain town where memories of last year's Mosquito Fire are still fresh.
"I was almost certain we were going to lose the town. And it was a miracle that they saved it," said bartender Brian Ayers.
Crews mounted an epic fight against the Mosquito Fire, which burned several homes and nearly 77,000 acres before firefighters could stop it.
So, when smoke filled the sky again this week, it brought back some bad memories.
The fire is used to burn off dry brush, dead trees, and anything that would fuel a future fire.
"It's one of the best ways to treat large amounts of acreage at one time," said Bob Roper, Senior Policy Advisor at the Western Fire Chiefs Association, who helped write a congressional report on the nation's wildfire crisis.
Roper said crews must follow stringent safety guidelines when conducting a prescribed burn.
"We do environmental reviews, biological, archaeological, and so forth to make sure that we don't do damage as we do it," Roper said.
Despite the smoke, Ayers said most of his customers understand the purpose of the prescribed burns.
"You take out all the brush and the crud, so you don’t get these firestorms," Ayers said.
WATCH ALSO:
