Aerial seeding in Alpine Tamarack burn set for next week

Aerial seeding on the Tamarack Fire footprint is scheduled to start on April 22 as part of the ongoing wildfire restoration in Alpine County.

The U.S. Forest Service is planning to seed the Ridge above Millberry Creek west of Turtle Rock, Pleasant Valley Road, Poor Boy Ridge and Little Cottonwood Canyon and Big Springs near Monitor Pass.

“The operation will seed approximately 4,000 acres total,” officials said. “They will use the USFS heliport on Poor Boy Road and the Alpine County Airport. They are hoping to complete all of the work within one week using helicopters.”

Officials asked that residents avoid the seeding areas during this time for the safety of the restoration crew and the flight operations. Anyone with questions is asked to contact Sierra Zone Botanist Tim Kellison at timothy.kellison@usda.gov or Alpine County Wildfire Projects Coordinator Clint Celio at ccelio@alpinecountyca.gov.

A previous effort in February 2022 saw the Nevada Division of Forestry spread nearly 36 tons of seed over 8,000 acres in southern Douglas County.

Started as a lightning strike that was reported July 4, 2021, the Tamarack Fire smoldered for a dozen days before it exploded to life on July 16.

The Tamarack Fire claimed 25 structures and burned 68,696 acres from the Sierra to the Pine Nuts.

The fire shut down Highway 395 through the Pine Nut Mountains for a week after it arrived in Douglas County on July 20, 2021.

Douglas County declared a state of emergency on July 23, 2021, and voluntary evacuations were conducted across the south county.

It would be July 26, 2021, before the evacuations were lifted.