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When wildfire strikes: the coordinated effort behind fire response in the Tahoe region

TRUCKEE, Calif. – The 2024 wildfire season has proven once again to be an active one, with California witnessing over 7,100 wildfires that have scorched more than 1 million acres. The Tahoe region, in particular, experienced several major fires, including one of the largest in state history. While many homes and structures were lost, and lives were impacted, the devastating consequences could have been much worse. For residents of the Truckee-Tahoe area, the recent fires served as a stark reminder of the region’s ongoing wildfire risks.

However, preventing small fires from escalating into catastrophic blazes is the result of a meticulously coordinated response involving multiple state, local, and federal agencies. The teamwork between these agencies is nothing short of impressive—a highly orchestrated, “symphonic” effort that includes everything from ground fire crews to aerial support, with seamless communication between all parties involved.

Truckee’s Response 



“The Town of Truckee and their Police Department actively coordinate with regional public safety partners year-round to ensure a rapid and effective response to wildfires and other emergencies through planning and training,” Bron Roberts, Communications Program Manager of the Town of Truckee, said. “This includes but is not limited to Nevada County Office of Emergency Services, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, Placer County Sheriff’s Office and Truckee CHP.” 

In April 2024, Truckee’s Office of Emergency Services hosted a large-scale multi-agency training exercise with 27 agencies, simulating a major wildfire incident. The exercise included the establishment of Incident Command, activation of the Emergency Operations Center, coordination with Tahoe Forest Hospital, Red Cross sheltering, utility impacts, and animal care. Partners such as Truckee Fire Protection District, Cal Fire, and Nevada County Public Health also played a vital role in this drill.



The Truckee Police Department oversees evacuations during wildfires, working closely with fire officials to assess and implement evacuation orders as necessary. The Office of Emergency Services supports these efforts by ensuring the timely issuance of public alerts through systems like CodeRED and Wireless Emergency Alerts.

In addition to emergency response, the Town collaborates with the USFS and Truckee Fire Protection District on wildfire mitigation projects and contracts with Cal Fire for additional firefighting resources. Seasonal green waste removal programs, supported by the Keep Truckee Green team and Truckee Tahoe School District, help homeowners reduce hazardous fuels around their properties.

Two helicopters work together by aerial firefighting to help suppress the Pass Fire that burned above Safeway in Truckee this last August.
Provided / Court Leve

The Role of Local Airports in Fire Response

Airports in the Tahoe region play a crucial role in wildfire suppression efforts. Both the Truckee Tahoe Airport and Nevada County Airport serve as key hubs for firefighting aircraft. When wildfires break out, these airports provide a vital landing and refueling station for planes and helicopters, ensuring that aerial support can stay in action as long as necessary.

Robb Etnyre, general manager of the Truckee Tahoe Airport District, explained, “We are often asked to act as a base for air attack aircraft, and our operations crew works tirelessly to always provide the needed support for emergency services.” During the Bear Fire, for example, pilots even stayed overnight at the airport to ensure they were ready to hit the frontlines again the following day.

Kevin Edwards, general manager of Nevada County Airport, echoed this sentiment: “Frequent conversations early and often are extremely vital to being able to figure out what we need to do, how to help each other.” These airports are integral to the firefighting network, providing quick access to refueling, maintenance, and logistics that keep aircraft in the fight against wildfires.

CalFire Precision FireCat Helicopter stationed at the Truckee Tahoe Airport throughout the wildfire season.
Provided / Marc Lamb, Truckee Tahoe Airport

Ground and Air Teams Work in Tandem

The response to wildfires in the Tahoe region involves a highly organized collaboration between air and ground teams. Ground crews rely heavily on the strategic direction from aerial support, where air tactical units coordinate the best places to attack a fire. These air teams provide crucial information, including the location of roads, vegetation types, and terrain, enabling fire crews on the ground to plan their movements and effectively suppress the fire.

Truckee Fire Chief Kevin McKechnie highlighted the importance of these air-ground interactions: “I’ve been on fires where they’ll tell us, ‘Hey, there’s a dirt road up there. If you guys can get a hose line to that dirt road, you’ll be able to hook it.'” This type of specific, real-time guidance is essential for on-the-ground crews, who can’t always see the bigger picture while tackling a fire directly.

Pre-Planning: Key to Fast, Effective Response

The hard work of wildfire suppression begins long before a fire breaks out. Agencies conduct annual Unified Command and Wildfire Preparedness training sessions to ensure a smooth response when disaster strikes. Aircraft, ground crews, and other resources are strategically placed around the state, ready to be deployed as fire danger rises.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Thomas Smith explained, “Everything’s dispatched at the same time—engines, crews, bulldozers, aircraft. There can be upwards of a dozen different agencies involved, so the pre-planning to get everyone on the same page is critical.” These well-rehearsed plans ensure that when a fire occurs, every team knows its role, and resources are mobilized quickly, minimizing damage and saving lives.

Forest Health Treatments: Prevention is Key

In addition to fighting fires when they occur, the region’s forestry agencies are working year-round on wildfire prevention. Forest treatments—such as thinning trees, removing dead vegetation, and conducting low-intensity prescribed burns—help reduce the fuel available for wildfires and make forests more resilient.

“The forests around Tahoe are overcrowded, which makes them more vulnerable to wildfires,” Caitlin Meyer, chief program officer at the Tahoe Fund, said. “We operate from the premise that there are too many trees in the forests, and that is making wildfires hotter, faster, and more destructive.” The Tahoe Fund, working alongside local agencies, has been pushing to increase the pace of forest health treatments to mitigate future risks. 

A notable innovation in this effort is BurnBot, a remote-operated device used to clear excess vegetation. The Tahoe Fund brought BurnBot to the region in May 2024, where it treated 22 acres in just three days—far quicker than hand crews, who would typically take two weeks to clear the same area. Meyer explained that BurnBot “multiplies the capacity of the people we do have in the workforce,” helping to address the growing shortage of forest service workers and the complexity of forest management.

The Truckee Tahoe Airport District will be hosting a demonstration of BurnBot in the Spring of 2025. Representatives from BurnBot will lead a presentation and live demo of the technology on the airport grounds. All agencies will be invited. 

Forest health treatments also directly support firefighting efforts. Areas that have been treated for forest health can slow the spread of wildfires, allowing firefighters to control them more effectively. 

Chief Ryan Sommers of the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District noted, “We stopped the northwest advancement of the Davis Fire in a fuels-treated area. The fuels reduction programs and forest health programs are absolutely helping to stop catastrophic wildfires. But it’s also the partnerships that have developed over the last couple of years. During an initial attack of a wildfire, you could have anywhere from 5-8 agencies on scene. As it progresses, you could have anywhere from 100-150 agencies on scene.” 

Strong Partnerships: The Key to Success

In addition to forest health treatments, successful fire response depends on the collaboration between numerous agencies and organizations. From local fire districts to the U.S. Forest Service, and utility companies to tribes, everyone has a role to play. The Tahoe Fund has worked closely with local partners to support initiatives that improve forest resilience, such as the “Smartest Forest” projects, which fund forest treatments across the region.

Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund, emphasized the importance of these partnerships: “We have all these different players, playing such complementary roles. Our goal is to do more—aiming for 10,000 acres a year to help reduce wildfire risks.”

Meyer highlighted the critical role of the Washoe Tribe of California and Nevada’s knowledge in fire management: “We have a lot to learn from the tribe. They got this right before a lot of people came in and screwed this up.” The tribe’s traditional fire management techniques are now being integrated with modern practices, creating a powerful collaboration that is improving wildfire prevention across the region.

The Road Ahead: More Resources, More Action

As wildfires continue to pose a serious threat to the Tahoe region, there is growing recognition of the need for more resources and a faster pace of forest treatment. The public, too, is beginning to understand the importance of forest health in reducing wildfire risk. With agencies working together, increasing support for innovative solutions like BurnBot, and using more research to guide forest management practices, the region is better positioned to tackle the growing threat of wildfires head-on.

“It’s a very complex matrix for responding to wildland fires. The public may think it’s not a fast response, however there’s a process in place so that we have accountability on our responding employees and agencies,” Chief Sommers said. “Please listen to only the facts about an incident when you are relying on social media. Do not rely on the armchair quarterbacks listening to their scanner. Adhere to the factual social media announcement from a respected agency about the fire.” 

Several agencies, among others, are actively involved in wildfire prevention and response in the Tahoe region, including:

  • North Tahoe Fire Protection District
  • Northstar Community Services District/Fire Department
  • Placer County Office of Emergency Services
  • Nevada County Office of Emergency Services  
  • U.S. Forest Service
  • Local Utility Companies
  • California Tahoe Emergency Services Operations Authority
  • El Dorado County Emergency Services Authority
  • Caltrans 
  • Tahoe Forest Health System 
  • Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue
  • Placer County Search and Rescue 
  • Olympic Valley Fire District
  • Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team 
  • Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation 
  • Sierra Business Council 
  • Truckee River Watershed Council 

These agencies, along with numerous local partners, work together year-round to ensure the Tahoe region is prepared to prevent, suppress, and recover from wildfires.


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