Hiking the scenic Stateline Fire Lookout National Forest Trail in Crystal Bay just got more interesting thanks to a generous matching donation to the Tahoe Fund from the Spence and Wylie families. Nine new interpretive panels have been installed to welcome visitors to the trail and offer an opportunity to learn about the area’s rich natural and cultural history.

The Stateline Fire Lookout Trail in Crystal Bay offers beautiful panoramic views of Lake Tahoe. Named for its location — straddling the Nevada-California line — this trail had interpretive panels that were worn down by wind and weather. Now, the brand new panels share insights into the history of the fire lookout, local wildlife, and the importance of preserving Tahoe’s delicate environment. 

“We hope these new panels will turn a popular family trail into an opportunity to learn and inspire people to take care as they are out recreating in this special place,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We are grateful to the Spence and Wylie families for their generosity, to Fallon Multimedia for the designs, and to the Forest Service for installing these important upgrades.”

In addition to the new interpretive panels, the Tahoe Fund and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) also beautified the vault toilets along the trail as part of a region-wide restroom mural project. The murals at the Stateline Fire Lookout Trail were painted by local artist Ian Blackhall Scott and show scenes of the iconic views from Crystal Bay with the goal of encouraging responsible recreation while celebrating Tahoe’s landscapes and wildlife. 

“As part of the trail’s stewardship, users are encouraged to help keep the Stateline Fire Lookout Trail pristine by packing out all trash and leaving the trail cleaner than they found it,” said LTBMU Recreation Program Manager, Megan Dee. “Visitors are reminded to be respectful of the neighborhood and private property near the beginning of the trail.”

In recognition of Wildfire Awareness Month, a coalition of wildfire experts, technology companies, energy providers, and nonprofits launched a groundbreaking pilot project today aimed at creating the most wildfire-ready community in the Lake Tahoe region. The Incline Fire Smart Community Pilot is taking place in the Tyrolian Village HOA, a neighborhood encompassing 228 homes across 60 acres in Incline Village, Nevada that has been identified as a high priority wildfire area by the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District. 

The pilot is leveraging new technology to identify which mitigations matter the most, while informing insurance outcomes and demonstrating how comprehensive wildfire defense can be implemented and replicated across Tahoe and the West and informing insurance outcomes. During a demonstration today, the public was able to see a remote-operated masticator from BurnBot remove hazardous fuels in the neighborhood up to five feet from homes. Attendees also heard from a panel of experts on how the pilot came to be, and the science and strategy behind it. Watch the panel discussion here.

“We’ve proactively treated thousands of acres in Incline Village and Crystal Bay through hazardous fuels mitigation, including direct collaboration with the Tyrolian Village HOA on their reduction plan,” said North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District Chief Ryan Sommers. “Wildfire risk is always evolving, and this pilot program allows us to enhance our efforts using the latest technology, advanced modeling, and parcel-specific strategies to further strengthen community safety.”

In addition to using BurnBot’s remote-operated technology to safely and efficiently reduce fire-prone vegetation in residential environments, the pilot will make use of data-driven strategies, modeling and insights from Vibrant Planet, Fire Aside and Colorado State University’s Dr. Hussam Mahmoud. The comprehensive nature of the project also includes a series of connected wildfire mitigation efforts across public lands and utility corridors, and a partnership with Wildfire Services Group for the completion of home hardening work based on data from Fire Aside.

“This initiative has the potential to fundamentally change how communities approach wildfire resilience,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund, the project’s convener. “We’re combining cutting-edge modeling and state-of-the-art technology with on-the-ground mitigation on public lands, NV Energy’s utility corridor, and in the neighborhood to create a replicable blueprint that can save lives, protect property, and preserve natural resources, while informing insurance outcomes.”

The pilot includes seven phases, of which the first two are already underway:

1. Baseline Risk Modeling & Assessment: Using advanced modeling tools from Vibrant Planet, Fire Aside, BurnBot, and Colorado State University’s Dr. Hussam Mahmoud, baseline risk and treatment needs are being established at both the community and parcel levels. Additionally, RockRose Risk is assessing insurance-relevant risk metrics.

2. Neighborhood-Scale Vegetation Treatment: BurnBot and the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District are executing prioritized fuels reduction treatments on 35 acres, complementing prior work on 22 acres of hand-thinning already conducted in the HOA.

3. Post-Treatment Risk Assessment: Over the summer, the project team will re-run risk models to quantify how vegetation treatments reduced wildfire risk.

4. Parcel-Level Mitigation & Home Hardening: Using science-backed data and direct engagement with residents, the team will prioritize the most hazardous properties and partner with homeowners to harden their homes against wildfire. Wildfire Services Group will work with the HOA and homeowners to provide expedited contractor services and do the work. 

5. Risk Reduction Measurement & Insurance Engagement: In the fall, the team will re-run models to quantify risk reduction for homeowners, public agencies, and insurers, with the goal of encouraging insurance coverage and incentives tied to mitigation outcomes.

6. Long-term Mitigation & Maintenance Planning: The HOA and project partners will develop a long-term plan to maintain risk reduction and continue mitigation efforts.

7. Model Scaling & Knowledge Sharing: A comprehensive, replicable framework will be developed to help other communities adopt similar strategies across Tahoe and the Western U.S.

“This pilot program will provide critical fire safety benefits and serves as a powerful example of what can be achieved through the collaboration between communities, government agencies, and corporate partners,” said Greg Erfani, Tyrolian Village HOA Board President. “Our goal is to create a fire safety-aware community focused on preparedness and risk reduction. By taking proactive steps, we hope to demonstrate to insurers that communities like ours are effectively mitigating wildfire risk.”

Incline Fire Smart Community Pilot Partners include the Tahoe Fund, North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, the Tyrolian Village Homeowners Association, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), BurnBot, Vibrant Planet, Dr. Hussam Mahmoud, Fire Aside, NV Energy, RockRose Risk, Climate and Wildfire Institute, Wildfire Services Group, and social scientist Natalie Bennett.

Learn more and get started in your community, visit www.tahoefund.org/inclinefiresmartpilot. 

Photos by Jeff Freeman

Looking for the perfect present for your loved one? You can give the gift of Tahoe by purchasing engraved bear or trout plaques. 

The Tahoe Fund offers personalized trout plaques on the iconic East Shore Trail and bear plaques in Heritage Plaza and along SR 28 in Tahoe City. You can also add a name to the donor wall at the start of the East Shore Trail.

East Shore Trail

On the iconic East Shore Trail, we have trout plaques available for purchase. You can also add your name to our donor wall with a contribution of $100 or more. Be sure to make your contribution before September 1, 2025 to be included on the next donor wall!

Proceeds will support the next section of the East Shore Trail, from Sand Harbor to Spooner Summit, as well as bike trails all around Lake Tahoe.

Click here to get a trout-shaped plaque – $5,000

Click here to add a name to our donor wall – $100 or more

Tahoe City

In Heritage Plaza and along SR 28 in Tahoe City, we have bear plaques available in Mama Bear and Baby Bear sizes. The plaques will hang on the fence looking out over the lake. Proceeds from the plaques will support trails in Placer County, North Lake Tahoe.

Click here to get a bear-shaped plaque – $5,000 for Mama, $2,500 for Baby