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Prescribed fire operations planned to resume on the Tahoe National Forest

9/29/2023

NEVADA CITY, CALIF. (Sept. 29, 2023) — Tahoe National Forest plans to resume fall prescribed fire operations as early as Sept. 29, 2023, dependent on fuels and weather conditions. Planned burn locations and timeline to complete projects may vary across the forest.
Upcoming potential prescribed burns include:
American River Ranger District

500-acre underburn near French Meadows Reservoir
260-acre pile burn near French Meadows Reservoir
Several additional pile burns may occur across the district asconditions and resources allow

Truckee Ranger District

500-acre underburn near Sagehen Hills
30-acres of pile burning at various locations on the district

Sierraville Ranger District

526-acre underburn near Little Truckee Summit
250-acres of pile burning at various locations on the district

Yuba River Ranger District

360-acre underburn near Yuba Pass and Highway 49
300-acre underburn near Gold Lake Highway and Snag Lake
300-acre underburn near Madrone Springs
500-acres of pile burning at various locations on the district

Fall typically brings cooler temperatures and precipitation, which can be ideal for conducting prescribed fires. Each operation follows a specialized burn plan, wherein temperature, humidity, wind, vegetation moisture and smoke dispersal conditions are considered daily before a prescribed fire is implemented. All this information is used to decide if and when to burn.
Prescribed fires are part of vital fuels reduction efforts aiming to reduce the severity of future wildfires, restore forest health and diversity, and provide added protection for surrounding communities.

CLICK HERE to see the original article in YubaNet.com.

Twilight project update from Placer County Parks

9/21/2023

9/21/22
Placer Supervisors-approved construction plans continue for Twilight Ride Access and Parking/Trailhead Project at Hidden Falls Regional Park. We have made good progress in this first few weeks of construction on the Twilight Ride Access and Parking/Trailhead Project, and wanted to give you another update on the construction schedule provided by the contractor.

The contractor, All-Phase Construction, has been working on the storm drain system near Bell Road, and should be finished installing the new 30-inch culvert pipe and drainage system by tomorrow. They have also been clearing and grubbing as well as rough grading for the new entrance, access road and parking area. After the storm drain system near Bell Road has been completed, they will begin backfilling that area to prepare for a new construction entrance.

In compliance with our permits, professional monitors have been (and will continue to be) on site periodically during operations. Grading will continue at least through the week of October 6th. They plan to install the 48” culvert near the middle of the project the first week of October or possibly sooner, depending on how fast the grading is going. If the weather holds out, they hope to be able to pave this year. Anything that is not completed before the serious rains start this year will be completed next construction season.
We will keep you apprised during the construction process with various updates. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have during the construction.

Thank you,

Lisa Carnahan
Parks Senior Planner
Placer County Department of Parks and Open Space
(530) 889-6837 | [email protected]

Celebrate National Public Lands day Sept. 23

9/20/2023

Established in 1994 and held annually on the fourth Saturday in September, National Public Lands Day is traditionally the nation's largest single-day volunteer effort. It celebrates the connection between people and green space in their community, inspires environmental stewardship, and encourages use of open space for education, recreation, and health benefits.

About National Public Lands DayNational Public Lands Day is organized annually and led by the National Environmental Education Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service and other federal agencies. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers roll up their sleeves to help restore and preserve public lands of all types and sizes—from iconic national parks and rivers to local urban green spaces and everything in between. National Public Lands Day is special because it provides all lovers of the environment—old and new—an opportunity to show our appreciation for these unique places.

The theme for this year—30 Years of Care and Community—celebrates the 30th year of National Public Lands Day. Join the celebration by volunteering at a national park site near you!
Get InvolvedThere are many ways to participate in National Public Lands Day. Whatever you choose to do, we encourage you to share Your Park Story.

Visit a national park for free.
Take part in a volunteer work project. Certain in-park projects may provide a fee-free day coupon to be used on a future date. See the list of National Public Lands Day events below or check out all volunteer events at national parks by using Volunteer.gov, keyword search National Public Lands Day.
Have fun and enjoy the health benefits of being outdoors.
Learn how you can protect public lands and Leave No Trace when you visit.

In our area, there is Point Reyes National Park and others to visit, for free, on September 23, 2023.

CLICK HERE to see the original article.

Truckee instituting 15 mph speed limit on multi use trails

9/14/2023

TRUCKEE, Calif. – After hearing concerns from many shared-use trail users, the Truckee Town Council approved the first-reading of changes to an ordinance that would implement a speed-limit on trails.

Increased use of trails, as well as new technologies being seen on trails, led the Town to consider changes to the municipal code. The Truckee Police Department to conduct a survey and stakeholder meetings regarding top concerns for trail users.

The most common concerns were...speed of cyclists and trail etiquette. After stakeholder meetings, staff landed on 15 mph, which is standard among other trails in California, as the maximum speed limit on shared-use trails.

The code will now read, “the speed limit for any device shall not exceed 15 miles per hour, but in no instance shall the speed allowed be greater than is reasonable and prudent under the existing conditions having due regard for terrain, weather, visibility, including time of day, pedestrian, and vehicular traffic on or crossing the trail, and condition of the device.”

In other words, while the max speed is 15 mph, there may be times when a slower speed is necessary. The example staff gave was if a single person is walking on the trail, passing them at the max speed is probably safe however, if a mother is walking a dog and has her toddler running around on the trail, passing at 15 mph is too fast and unsafe.

TPD said they will have enforcement officers occasionally on the trails educating users on best practices. Egregious rule breaking could result in a fine of $100 for the first violation, $200 for the second violation and $500 for the third violation.

During public comment, Allison Pedley spoke on behalf of the Truckee Trails Foundation and Paco Lindsay, who is on the foundation board, in support of the change.
“We feel like 15 mph is a good place to land,” Pedley said.
Few public comments were submitted on the item, three of the six that were submitted said 15 mph was too slow and would make commuting on bike inconvenient.

The council agreed to stick with 15 mph but directed staff to monitor the trails to determine if the speed should be changed down the line.

Click here to see original article in the Sierra Sun newspaper.

Folsom Lake SRA Beach Trail peeking out from under water

9/4/2023

As the water is drawn out from the Folsom Dam, the popular beach trail shows up. This is not an official trail as it is under water half of the year. You can access it from the Pioneer Express Trail.

Prescribed fire operations planned to resume on the Tahoe National Forest

Twilight project update from Placer County Parks

Celebrate National Public Lands day Sept. 23

Truckee instituting 15 mph speed limit on multi use trails

Folsom Lake SRA Beach Trail peeking out from under water

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