South Lake Tahoe ordinance aims to make community more fire resilient
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE – A first-of-its-kind city ordinance aims to help the South Lake Tahoe community be safer and more fire resilient.
"They were definitely too close, so we had them removed entirely," Al Breitwieser, a South Lake Tahoe resident, said.
Breitwieser is talking about three trees planted in his backyard that posed a risk to his home if a fire should spark nearby.
"It's in the forefront of our minds," Breitwieser said.
In 2021, Breitwieser and his wife Cheryl were evacuated during the Caldor Fire, which burned nearly 222,000 acres coming dangerously close to South Lake Tahoe.
"As we drove away, he looked back and waved goodbye to the house just in case that was the unfortunate outcome of this," Breitwieser said.
Which is why he's now on board with a new ordinance to keep Tahoe homeowners safer against fires.
"I think in some cases, you have to force people to do things because they think it's not going to happen to me," Breitwieser said.
An ordinance sparked by the Caldor Fire will require homeowners to create defensible space around their homes, starting July 18.
"This is going to be so important to us because we are so fire-prone," said South Lake Tahoe Fire Marshal Kim George.
George says it's critical to keep lives and property safe. The ordinance breaks down into a three-zone system.
The first zone requires homeowners to remove dry brush, shrubs, wood piles or anything flammable away five feet from their homes.
"It's not just the plants we're worried about, it's anything flammable," George said.
The second zone requires native plants and shrubs to be spaced apart from one another – between five to 30 feet from their homes.
The third zone requires homeowners to remove piles of dead wood and heavily brushed areas within 100 feet from their home, even if that means it's shared with your neighbors. It excludes mature trees.
"If an ember gets to your house, even if it's a nearby structure fire, that can be an ignition source," George said.
Those who don't comply could face a fine of up to $250.
But George says they plan to issue warnings for a while to allow the community to become aware of the new ordinance.
"This is what you need to do, it's science-based and it makes a difference helping our community become more fire resilient," George said.
For those worried about the cost of making your home safe, Tahoe Refuse and Recycle is helping with the initiative by hauling away trees and shrubs – free of charge.