Residents ask about road closures during Tomahawk Trail house fire; sheriff's office explains evacuation, traffic control and mobile outreach services

A Tomahawk Trail house fire prompted questions at the Incline Village/Crystal Bay Citizens Advisory Board about how road closures and evacuations are handled at night, when residents may encounter blocked streets.

Pamela Sigdinos described driving into a neighborhood around 9 p.m. and finding herself unable to leave because Tomahawk Trail had not been blocked and there were no officers directing traffic. “There was nobody to indicate that the road we were moving on was actually where the structure fire was,” she said, adding that three cars ended up stuck near the scene.

Lieutenant Armando Avina, patrol lieutenant, and Captain Galicia of the sheriff’s office explained that deputies dispatched to assist fire prioritize firefighter safety, scene control and evacuations. “When we get called to assist fire, our priority is their safety and to provide them enough space to work and lay down their hoses,” Avina said. Deputies will block roads so fire crews can lay hose lines; when deputies are not immediately available because the unit is responding elsewhere, not all surface streets may be closed at once, county staff explained.

Captain Galicia provided public‑safety statistics for November 2024 for Incline Village. She said Grand Theft Auto incidents were up (two reported that month, compared with a three‑year average of zero for November) and residential burglaries increased (one reported vs. a three‑year average of zero). Vehicle burglaries were down (zero in November vs. a three‑year average of one). The sheriff’s office also noted a reduced jail population and an overall decrease in 911 calls for service across the county for the month.

Lieutenant Avina introduced Jessica McGehee from the Mobile Outreach Safety Team (MOST), a county outreach unit that rides with deputies and provides follow‑up and non‑emergency support via phone and email. Avina said MOST does not go into the field alone but provides follow‑up casework and connection to services.

Residents asked whether the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District has a policy to request sheriff’s deputies for traffic management at fire scenes; the sheriff’s office said dispatch typically sends both fire and law‑enforcement resources, but if deputy units are occupied elsewhere fire may manage initial traffic control until law enforcement arrives. The sheriff’s office committed to follow up on the specific Tomahawk call to provide additional detail to the resident who reported being stranded.

Ending: The CAB asked the sheriff’s office to provide follow‑up on the Tomahawk Trail call and to clarify coordination with the fire district. County public‑safety staff said they will look up call details and report back; the meeting also highlighted a community interest in clearer public information about traffic control and evacuation procedures during structure fires.