In The News – Incline Village launches ‘Worm’ wildfire fuels mitigation project to protect neighborhoods above Mt. Rose Hwy
July 10, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 07/10/2025, Staff Report
The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFD), in partnership with the Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID), is initiating the Worm Wildfire Fuels Mitigation Project, a two-phase effort to reduce wildfire risk and enhance community safety in the wildland-urban interface above Highway 431.
The project—named “The Worm” due to its winding, elongated shape. The project spans 142.6 acres of IVGID-owned land and is designed to create a 132-foot-wide buffer zone of intensively managed vegetation between forested areas and residential neighborhoods.
- Phase 1: Covers 64.5 acres, scheduled to begin the week of July 14, 2025, and be completed in 4 to 5 weeks.
- Phase 2: Will treat an additional 78.1 acres, with completion expected in the summer of 2026.
The primary objective is to reduce the brush component within the project area while retaining 10–15% of native brush to preserve the natural forest aesthetic and support wildlife habitat. This fuels break will serve as a critical line of defense in the event of a wildfire, improving firefighter access and reducing fire intensity near homes.