Creating Tahoe’s Most Wildfire-Ready Community
In recognition of Wildfire Awareness Month, a coalition of wildfire experts, technology companies, energy providers, and nonprofits launched a groundbreaking pilot project today aimed at creating the most wildfire-ready community in the Lake Tahoe region.
The Incline Fire Smart Community Pilot is taking place in the Tyrolian Village HOA, a neighborhood encompassing 228 homes across 60 acres in Incline Village, Nevada that has been identified as a high priority wildfire area by the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District.
The pilot is leveraging new technology to identify which mitigations matter the most, while informing insurance outcomes and demonstrating how comprehensive wildfire defense can be implemented and replicated across Tahoe and the West.
“This initiative has the potential to fundamentally change how communities approach wildfire resilience,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “We’re combining cutting-edge modeling and state-of-the-art technology with on-the-ground mitigation on public lands, NV Energy’s utility corridor, and in the neighborhood to create a replicable blueprint that can save lives, protect property, and preserve natural resources, while informing insurance outcomes.”
During a demonstration today, the public was able to see a remote-operated masticator from BurnBot remove hazardous fuels in the neighborhood up to five feet from homes. Attendees also heard from a panel of experts on how the project came together and the science and strategy behind it. You can watch the panel discussion here.
In addition to using BurnBot’s remote-operated technology to safely and efficiently reduce fire-prone vegetation in residential environments, the pilot will make use of data-driven strategies, modeling and insights from Vibrant Planet, Fire Aside and Colorado State University’s Dr. Hussam Mahmoud.
Want to get started in your neighborhood? Request a defensible space inspection here.