Lake Tahoe Firewise communities and defensible space

Lake Tahoe Firewise communities are neighborhoods where the owners have organized to lower their wildfire risk together. Firewise USA is a national program run by the National Fire Protection Association. It recognizes a neighborhood once the neighbors have done the work, and they have to keep doing it every year to stay on the list.

To be recognized, a neighborhood takes these steps:

• Forms a committee of residents.
• Has the wildfire risk around its homes assessed.
• Writes an action plan.
• Does the work, and reports the hours and money spent and the vegetation removed.
• Holds an outreach event every year.
• Applies, then renews each year.

Not every owner has to take part, and recognition doesn't mean every lot is cleared. It tells you the neighborhood is organized and working on it.

If you're buying, confirm early that insurance is available for the home and what it costs. Ask your insurance agent whether being in a Firewise neighborhood changes your options. That's a question for the insurer, not for me.

If you're selling, I order a defensible space inspection before your home goes on the market, so we can disclose the result to buyers from the start. The local fire department does the inspection, and the seller pays for it. A lot that has been cleared shows well and answers a question buyers are already asking. In California, a seller of a home in a high or very high fire hazard zone has to give the buyer documentation about defensible space. If your neighborhood is a Firewise site, I say so in the listing.

If you're buying, the defensible space inspection comes to you as part of the seller's disclosure package, and we read it together.

I'm not qualified to do a defensible space inspection myself. It has to be ordered from the local fire department. I can point out the obvious red flags when I walk a lot, like dead trees or a heavy layer of pine needles and underbrush. That's only my opinion of what an inspection might show, and it isn't official. My part is making sure the inspection is done and that you understand what it says. There's more in what I check for buyers and in how I sell a home.

South Lake Tahoe (El Dorado County)

• Al Tahoe
• ALTRA
• Angora North
• Bijou 2
• Bijou 3
• Black Bart Community
• Cascade Properties
• Christmas Valley Blitzen
• East Christmas Valley
• Elks Club NE
• Fallen Leaf Lake
• Fallen Leaf Lake South Side
• Golden Bear (Lower Montgomery Estates)
• Grizzly Mountain
• Heavenly
• Kekin-SUT
• Lower Apache
• Lower Emerald Bay Tract
• Lower Washoan
• Lukins Brothers Water Company service area
• Meadow Lakes SLT
• Mewuk-Wintoon-NUT
• Middle Elks Club
• Montgomery Estates / Cold Creek Trail
• Mt. Tallac Village One
• Pine Valley
• Sierra Tract West FAC
• South Christmas Valley
• Spring Creek Tract Homeowners Association
• State Streets
• Tahoe Keys
• Tahoe Meadows
• Upper Montgomery Estates

Tahoe City (Placer County)

• Alpine Peaks
• Chinquapin HOA
• Comstock - Cathedral Heights
• Dollar Hill
• Granlibakken Property Owners Association
• Highlands
• Northshore Townhouse Association
• Rocky Ridge Property Owners Association
• St. Francis Lakeside Condominiums
• Tahoe Park
• Talmont

Carnelian Bay (Placer County)

• Agate Bay
• Carnelian Heights
• Carnelian Woods Townhouse Association
• Cedar Flat Improvement Association
• Old County Community
• Ridgewood Highlands

Tahoe Vista (Placer County)

• Franciscan Owners' Association
• Kingswood West
• Open Door Association
• Tahoe Estates
• Tall Trees Wood Vista Neighborhood
• Vista Pines Homeowners Association

Kings Beach (Placer County)

• Brockway Springs POA
• Kingswood HOA
• Kingswood Village POA

Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley (Placer County)

• Alpine Meadows
• Olympic Valley

Truckee (Nevada and Placer counties)

• ALPS
• Coldstream
• Coyote Run HOA
• Donner Crest
• Gray's Crossing
• Greater Glenshire
• Hopkins Village
• Juniper Hill
• Lahontan Community Association
• Martis Camp Community Association
• Martis Peak
• Martiswoods
• North Fork American River Basin
• North Shore Donner Lake
• Northstar
• Old Greenwood
• Pannonia Ranchos
• Pine Forest
• Ponderosa Palisades
• Ponderosa Ranchos
• Prosser Lakeview & Woods
• Russel Valley
• Schaffer's Mill Community Association
• Sierra Meadows
• Tahoe Donner Association
• The Boulders
• Village at Grays Crossing
• West end of Donner Lake
• Winter Creek

Recognition is renewed every year, and neighborhoods join and drop off the list. If you're buying or selling in one of the Lake Tahoe Firewise communities, or you aren't sure whether your neighborhood is one, ask me, or call or text me at 530-208-7081. I'll check the current list for the specific home.

You can also see every town I work in, read about buying a house in Lake Tahoe or selling your Lake Tahoe home, or go back to Tahoe Homes by Angela.

This page is general information. It isn't legal, insurance or fire safety advice. Confirm requirements with your local fire district, your insurance agent and the agencies for your parcel.