TAHOE CITY, Calif. – The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is scheduled to begin hazardous fuels reduction mastication treatments on the North Shore near the Cedar Flat area of Forest Road 16N74 beginning the week of Tuesday, June 9, 2026, and continuing through the end of the month.

These mastication operations will target approximately 22 acres of ground vegetation and brush including manzanita, whitethorn and bitter brush, and some small diameter trees less than eight inches in diameter at breast height (dbh). For more information, view the Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team map for Current/Upcoming Forest Fuels Reductions Projects.

For public safety when work is taking place, access to some areas may be temporarily disrupted. The public is reminded to be aware of fuels reduction activity and keep a safe distance from heavy equipment and work areas. 

Mastication, also known as forest mulching, is a mechanical process that involves using heavy equipment to chop, grind, or shred ground vegetation into smaller pieces. The pieces are then spread out and left to decompose naturally.

Fuels reduction treatments such as mastication are essential forest management tools used by the Forest Service and other land managers to protect communities by removing excess vegetation (fuels) that can feed unwanted wildfires.

Tahoe Basin forests are overstocked and highly vulnerable to insects, disease, and wildfire. Hazardous fuels reduction treatments help reduce the risk of wildfire in areas near communities and neighborhoods by reducing ladder fuels and creating gaps between surface and crown fuels to keep fire on the ground.

Fuels reduction projects complement defensible space and home hardening efforts on private property. They also contribute to improved forest health, wildlife habitat, and watershed and forest resilience.

Short-term effects of mastication treatments may include changes to the appearance of forest areas. Treated areas may look disturbed immediately after treatment, when freshly chipped or masticated vegetation, are more visually obvious. These areas recover quickly and improve ecologically as new vegetation growth occurs within a few years.