Fire officials outline defensible‑space steps, chipping program and home‑hardening guidance for Incline Village

North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District fuels specialist Ryan Dominguez and Spencer Houston of the University of Nevada, Reno’s Living With Fire program gave a joint presentation on defensible space and home hardening at the Incline Village–Crystal Bay Citizens Advisory Board meeting. The specialists gave specific, actionable guidance residents can use to reduce the chance that embers or nearby vegetation will ignite homes.

Dominguez said homeowners should create an “ember‑resistant” zone from 0 to 5 feet around structures, keep firewood at least 30 feet from canopies or inside garages, and remove accumulated pine needles and other ground fuels. “On those days, we want to make sure everything’s cleaned up within 5 feet,” he said. He described a second “lean, clean and green” zone from 5 to 30 feet and a 30–100 foot zone used where properties have larger defensible areas.

The presentation stressed how embers — not only direct flame — cause most home ignitions in wildfires, and the two presenters recommended combining defensible space with home hardening to reduce risk. Houston said the paired approach matters because embers can travel “up to 1 or 2 miles in front of a fire” in some conditions; home hardening (screening vents, metal flashing at roof edges, tempered multi‑pane windows and noncombustible siding close to grade) helps prevent those embers from igniting a structure.

The fire district described operational programs residents can use: a free chipping program that opens for signups on May 12 with weekly crews thereafter (pile limits: up to 6 feet high, 20 feet long, 6 feet wide), seasonal defensible‑space inspections from May through October, and ongoing fuel‑reduction hand crews and engines through the summer and into fall. Dominguez cautioned that crews may be redirected to incidents, which can delay scheduled chipping or thinning work.

On vegetation choices, the presenters recommended native, low‑growing plantings in mosaic patterns rather than continuous flammable shrubs. Houston said manzanita and ornamental junipers are high‑risk choices because their litter and foliage can ignite and spread fire quickly. He advised homeowners who remove shrubs for safety to leave roots in place where erosion is a concern and to space shrubs at two times their mature height within the 5–30 foot zone.

On lower‑cost home hardening steps, the presenters suggested: add metal flashing where decks meet walls, install noncombustible gutter guards or keep gutters clean of needles, screen vents with noncombustible mesh (about 1/8‑inch is an effective tradeoff between airflow and ember protection), and replace or protect vulnerable siding and eaves. Houston said those measures can be more cost‑effective than replacing an entire roof, though wooden shake roofs remain a high priority for replacement if owners can afford it.

The presenters made program materials available: a Tahoe retrofit/home hardening guide is on the Living With Fire website and the district will provide printed defensible‑space flyers. Dominguez said the district’s chipping program and other services are intended to support neighborhood Firewise/Fire Adapted Community efforts, and urged community leaders to organize block parties and work days (he noted a block party on Douglas Court planned for May 31).

Residents asked operational questions during a Q&A. Patricia Lord asked about firewood tarps and whether they can be stored seasonally; Dominguez recommended NFPA‑certified tarps and said residents can remove covers for winter and reapply during fire season. On questions about work on U.S. Forest Service, state lands or public open lots, Dominguez said the district coordinates with those agencies and that the district has done thinning and burning on federal and state parcels in past seasons.

The presenters promised to post slides and guides online; Houston said the Living With Fire and Tahoe Living With Fire sites host the retrofitting and plant‑selection guides. Dominguez encouraged homeowners who want a property inspection to request one from the district’s defensible‑space program.

Residents seeking more information were given two contact options during the meeting: the Living With Fire resources online and the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District for inspections, chipping signups and program questions.

Ending: Presenters emphasized the combined approach of defensible space plus home hardening and encouraged neighbors to form local Firewise or Fire Adapted Community groups so mitigation work can be coordinated at the neighborhood level.