Big Win for Wildfire Fuel Reduction Projects in Olympic Valley, CA | Funding Approved

After several years of continued work by residents, local organizations, and local companies, including support from the Olympic Valley Firewise Community members, Friends of Squaw Valley, Palisades Tahoe, and the Resort at Squaw Creek, funding has been awarded for fire fuel reduction in Olympic Valley.

• Related: NASA: Thousands Evacuated as Wildfires Burn Near Yosemite National Park, CA

In 2020 OVPSD wrote, “a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends the types and methods of treatment that will mitigate the risk of wildfire. A CWPP will address issues such as wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, and/or structure protection.”

The Firewise Council has identified the need to hire a consultant to write a CWPP for the Valley. The estimated cost to have a consultant prepare the CWPP is $28,800. The Firewise Council has received funding commitments from:

– Palisades Tahoe Ski Resort: $10,000.
– Friends of Squaw Valley (Olympic Valley Community): $5,300.
– Resort at Squaw Creek: $3,500.” – https://www.ovpsd.org/sites/default/files/F-5_CWPP%20Board%20Report.pdf

It was recently announced they were awarded the CALFIRE Grant as well.

“In response to increased concern about wildfire danger, earlier this year, the District executed a consulting contract with Deer Creek Resources and Wildland Rx to prepare a CWPP with support from the Olympic Valley Firewise Community members including Friends of Squaw Valley, Palisades Tahoe, and the Resort at Squaw Creek. The CWPP will identify and prioritize the fuels reduction and wildfire prevention strategy for Olympic Valley Fire Department’s jurisdiction and will address issues such as wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, home hardening, and/or structure protection.”

Two major components of the Olympic Valley Public Service District (District) Fuels Management Program include the preparation of the CWPP and securing funds to implement forest fuels reduction projects in forested areas in Olympic Valley and along the Truckee River corridor. The CWPP is intended to prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and address issues such as wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, and structure protection.

A draft version of the plan was utilized to identify high priority projects eligible for funding in the 2022 CALFIRE grant cycle. In early February 2022, the District applied to CALFIRE for a Fire Prevention Grant for the Olympic Valley Fuel Reduction Project and it has recently been awarded. The awarded project encompasses 120-acres located on the northern ridgeline of the Valley, and is estimated to cost $540,000 and take three years to complete.

The project team will spend the remainder of 2022 planning, permitting, and bidding the work, which is scheduled to begin in 2023.

Additionally, the District has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s Forest Futures Program. These grant funds will be used to permit and plan for fuel reduction work along the south ridge and in the Squaw Creek corridor to thin the lodgepole stand at the S-turns on Olympic Valley Road. The work for this grant is scheduled for completion in 2023.

Great news for the long term health of Olympic Valley and Greater Lake Tahoe Area.