Nevada

As ashes fell delicately from a blazing orange sky earlier this week, Lake Tahoe got a jarring glimpse of just one of the threats of the climate crisis. The frequency and intensity of wildfires in the West are breaking records and destroying communities. Scientists are also measuring wilder weather patterns, more severe droughts, and changing ecosystems as the planet’s temperature rises. More drought means more dead trees, and hotter summers mean a longer and more
severe fire season.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After one day of blue skies above Lake Tahoe, smoke once again has filled the Basin. According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno, the smoke is from multiple fires including the Fork Fire west of Lake Tahoe which sent some smoke into Emerald Bay on Wednesday.

NWS Reno has just issued a Dense Smoke Advisory which is in effect now through Friday at 5:00 p.m. due to the smoke moving into the area faster than previously forecast.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -El Dorado County health officials say another six residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, three are in the Lake Tahoe Region, and three in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue. In this group of new cases are five aged 18-49 and one aged 50-64.

Another 252 people were tested for the coronavirus and 246 negative tests results were received.

There have been another four assumed recoveries. There has been no change in hospitalizations/ICU (0/0) and there are no suspected cases of COVID-19 in the hospital.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Due to dangerous fire conditions, the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Regional Forester Randy Moore has just announced that ALL National Forests in California will close Wednesday, September 9, 2020, at 5:00 p.m. until further notice. This order includes the California and Nevada sides of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. On Monday, eight National Forests were closed and now an additional ten from the state have been added to the list.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The community is invited to a webinar to review the City of South Lake Tahoe's draft Climate Action Plan (CAP) on Wednesday, September 9 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The City has completed its draft CAP and is in the midst of the public review period. This CAP is critical for reducing emissions in the region and will also provide benefits to the community through supporting local economic development, improving wildfire resilience, reducing air pollution, improving traffic conditions, and improving public health and quality of life.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Make sure you check out the Lake Tahoe Basin's Red Flag Warning and Lake Wind Advisory for Tuesday, September 7 (SEE HERE).

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All campgrounds and day use areas on U.S. Forest Service land in California and the Lake Tahoe Basin must close at 5:00 p.m. Monday, September 7 due to the unprecedented and dangerous fire conditions and extreme heat, significant wind events, dry conditions, and firefighting resources that are stretched to the limit.

The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has announced the following temporary closures and fire restrictions to provide for public safety and reduce the potential for human caused fire starts:

UPDATE Monday 4:20PM: The National Weather Service had changed their previous Fire Weather Watch to a Red Flag Warning and Lake Wind Advisory day, starting at 3:00 a.m. Tuesday. For more info, visit http://southtahoenow.com/story/09/07/2020/red-flag-warning-and-lake-wind-advisory-place-lake-tahoe-t...

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno has issued a Fire Weather Watch for Tuesday, September 8 from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (timeframe was expanded Monday).

5:30 p.m. UPDATE: Traffic is moving again and the crash has been cleared up. No other information is available at this time.

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Expect delays if heading south on US50 near Cave Rock at Lake Tahoe. At 4:30 p.m., the Nevada Department of Transportation reported the crash, but details are unavailable at this time.

According to their Nevada Roads website, delays could last until 6:00 p.m. It appears the northbound lanes are moving.

Use caution. Emergency crews are at the scene.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -El Dorado County health officials say another 13 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since yesterday. Of those, three are in each the Lake Tahoe Region and Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, five in El Dorado Hills, one each in Pollock Pines/Camino/Kyburz and Greater Placerville. In this group of new cases are nine aged 18-49, three aged 50-64 and one aged 65 or older.

Another 205 people were tested for the coronavirus and 192 negative tests results were received.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials say there have been an additional eight cases of COVID-19 in the county since yesterday. None of those are in the Lake Tahoe area, six were in El Dorado Hills, and one each in Greater Placerville and South County.

Of the new cases, five are aged 18-49, and two aged 50-64.

An additional 180 tests were administered and 172 tests came back negative.

There have been six assumed recoveries with no confirmed patients in the hospital. There is one suspected case in the ICU.

To date, two county residents have died.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It is going to be a hot one in Lake Tahoe over the Labor Day Weekend as well as in Western Nevada and Northern California.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno has issued a Heat Advisory from 11:00 a.m. Friday to 8:00 p.m. Sundayfor Lake Tahoe due to consecutive days of high temperature. The forecast highs are 90-93 degrees those three days and record high temperatures are likely this holiday weekend.

Not only will there be high temperatures, there will also be widespread haze due to Northern California fires.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It was 1:15 a.m. on the morning of September 6, 1970 when nurse Donna Ann Lass was working in the first aid room of the Sahara Tahoe Hotel & Casino in Stateline, Nevada. She made a log entry just before her last patient entered the room 15 minutes later, one-half hour before getting off duty.

Donna was scheduled to make a log entry at 1:45 a.m. but it was never completed and she was never seen again. Although her car was found parked at her apartment she wasn't seen leaving the Sahara.

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. - Funding is now available to assist small businesses in Douglas County that are impacted by COVID-19 with expenses like PPE, utilities, rent and retrofits.

From September 8 - October 6, the County will be accepting applications. The grants will be awarded on an as needed and first come first served basis. For details on eligible businesses and funding amounts, and to preview the application, please visit the Nevada Association of Counties website.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will start enhanced fire restrictions in national forest campgrounds on September 1, 2020 due to dry conditions.

On August 21, fire agencies around the Lake Tahoe Basin banned all open burning utilizing wood and charcoal at homes, parks, beaches and most campgrounds. LTBMU was not part of that original ban.

All areas in the Lake Tahoe Basin are now under these restrictions.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials report another nine positive cases of COVID-19 today. One of those is in the Lake Tahoe area, one in Cameron Park/Shingle Springs/Rescue, one in Diamond Springs/El Dorado, one in Placerville and five in El Dorado Hills. Of these, one is under the age of 18, six are aged 18-49, one aged 50-64 and one aged 65 or older.

Another 325 tests were administered. 316 negative test results were returned.

There are an assumed 11 more recoveries, bringing that total to 830.

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - The resiliency of Lake Tahoe was the focus of the 24th annual Lake Tahoe Summit Tuesday, held virtually instead of on the shores of the pristine lake in the Sierra Nevada many call home and even thousands more visit.

The first peak of a new Lake Tahoe commemorative coin was unveiled during Tuesday's virtual Lake Tahoe Summit. The coin is in honor of the 50th anniversary of the bi-state Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and is being minted in the historic U.S. Mint at Carson City's Nevada State Museum.

The work of South Lake Tahoe artist Eleanor BonBon is featured on the coin. It was accepted for the coin after she responded to a Request for Proposal which included examples of her sketching process, all while conceptualizing TRPA’s core values into a visual language.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - El Dorado County health officials report another eight positive cases of COVID-19 today. Three are in the Lake Tahoe area, two in Placerville, one in each El Dorado Hills/Diamond Springs, El Dorado and North County. Of these, two are under the age of 18, five aged 18-49, and one aged 50-64.

Another 155 tests were administered. 147 negative test results were returned.

There are an assumed 13 more recoveries, bringing that total to 799.

The community mural art project in the tunnel on the popular Tahoe East Shore Trail was unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The mural, painted by local husband and wife art and design duo, Tyler Rivenbark and Frida Ticehurst-Rivenbark, was completed with help from students at Lake Tahoe School in Incline Village.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The following is a list of the long term and short term projects the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has scheduled for the week around Lake Tahoe, in the Sierra and El Dorado County.

LONG-TERM PROJECTS

8:30 p.m. UPDATE: The Fire Weather Watch has been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. The warning is from 8:00 p.m. Sunday to 11:00 a.m. Monday. Expect thunderstorms and strong outflow wind guest 40 to 50 mph.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A Fire Weather Watch is in effect from Sunday at 8:00 p.m. through Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. for the Sierra, Northeast California and Western Nevada. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno is calling for thunderstorms and strong outflow winds in the area.

Western Nevada College is proud to announce that 93 students have qualified for the 2020 Summer Dean’s List. To earn this recognition during the summer session, students attained a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and completed six units of classes or more.

Students achieving the academic honor are:

Carson City

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. - In a unified move, all fire agencies around the Lake Tahoe Basin have banned all open burning utilizing wood and charcoal for the remainder of the summer, or longer if needed. This includes campgrounds with fire rings, fire pits at homes and all charcoal barbeques whether at home or at public and private facilities.

The suspension takes effect at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2020 and will be enforced with extinguishment and possible citations and fines.