Prescribed fire burning near airport in South Lake Tahoe

A prescribed fire by the Lake Valley Fire Department in the trees and brush surrounding the Upper Truckee River caused some concern by area residents on Thursday afternoon.

Large plumes of smoke could be seen from miles away, and with the burn not on the normal U.S. Forest Service weekly list of prescribed burning, many calls were made from concerned citizens. According to the USFS office in South Lake Tahoe, they alone had dozens of phone calls.

The total acreage being worked on by their fuel management team is unknown but expect smoke in the meadow area surrounding the river near the airport.