Prescribed burns could send smoke over Sierra

East Fork firefighters responded to a report of a smoke plume in Gardnerville on Tuesday morning that turned out to be a controlled burn that was within regulations.

Burning as a means of clearing vegetation has been a fall and spring tradition across Western Nevada for years.

Smoke plumes often rise above the Valley during backyard burning season, but it’s not just residents generating the smoke.

Members of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team announced they plan to start prescribed burning on Lake Tahoe’s east shore near Spooner Summit and Glenbrook that may be visible from Carson Valley in the coming weeks.

Stormy weather Wednesday and Friday might slow the team down, but they plan to conduct operations over the next several weeks at Lake Tahoe View smoke management tips and current air quality index at AirNow.gov and the U.S. EPA and Forest Service Fire and Smoke Map.

California Tahoe Conservancy, North Lake Tahoe and Tahoe Douglas fire protection districts and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit are scheduled to continue burning this week in numerous locations.