Be Firewise-It Only Takes a Spark to Destroy a Forest

HEIDI'S SAILBOAT

Dear Homewood Homeowners Association Member

It seems as though we are always in wildfire season, and as a FIREWISE USA community, the Homewood Homeowners Association is asking for your help in being FIREWISE and to assist us in maintaining our certification for 2026.

The following actions can statistically help your home and property from loss in a wildfire event:

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    Establish a 5’ non-combustible zone around the perimeter of your structure. This zone should be taken down to bare mineral soil or establish base rock or pea gravel.

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    Provide 30’ of clearance around the perimeter of your structure. This includes removing flammable brush, limbing trees, and reducing ladder fuels (trees/vegetation) that can carry fire into the mature tree canopy.

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    Remove all pine needles or downed tree limbs from your roof and decks.

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    Thin the trees & shrubs on your property to provide canopy spacing ranging from 10’ to 30, thus reducing the fire’s ability to travel from one canopy to the next.

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    Harden your structure. The hardening of your structure reduces wildfire embers from embedding and igniting your home. Some key components are https://www.ntfire.net/home-hardening
     

    1. Have a non-flammable roof, such as composition shingles or a metal roof.
    2. Non-combustible material for any decks, stairs, or railings.
    3. Non-combustible siding, double- or multi-pane windows.
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    If you don’t have defensible space or know what steps to take, please contact our local fire protection district and set up a defensible space inspection (https://www.ntfire.net/defensible-space-program).

Homewood Firewise Contact: Tiffany McLaughlin.

tmac9@macco.org or (916) 275-2357

Caldor Fire Awareness

Caldor Fire sparked 8/14/21; contained 10/21/21 – 68 days. 221,835 acres scorched; 1005 structures destroyed at a cost of more than $268,000,000.

Harden your home and property today!

Fire

North Tahoe Fire Protection District Information

North Tahoe Fire Protection District runs from Crystal Bay to Emerald Bay, and their mission is to provide the highest possible level of fire and life safety, rescue and emergency medical service, fire prevention, and public education to the citizens and visitors of the communities we serve. Open this link to learn more about the tools available to you to protect family & property. 

Use the following link to learn more.

Firewise Information & Resources

Forms to Download

FirewiseTimeExpenseInvestmentExamples (pdf)

FirewiseVolunteerHourlyWorksheet (pdf)

2025 HHOA Firewise Certificate (pdf)

Defensible Space Demonstration Burn

A Cal Fire demonstration of how defensible space helps protect your home.

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GREEN WASTE DUMPSTER PROGRAM

North Tahoe Fire offers free green waste dumpsters for Fire Adapted Communities to support neighborhood clean-up days. Reserve starting April 2 for May through October delivery.

RESERVE YOUR DUMPSTER

For more information and to reserve your dumpster, visit
https://www.ntfire.net/green-wastedisposal

DUMPSTER REQUIREMENTS

MUST BE RESERVED BY A FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITY WITH FIREWISE RECOGNITION

OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL RESIDENTS WITHIN NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES RESIDENT PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED

SUPPORTS COMMUNITY CLEAN-UP EVENTS VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY HOURS MUST BE TRACKED

MINIMUM OF 21 HOURS ($700) IN VOLUNTEER MATCH PER 20-YARD DUMPSTER MUST BE RECORDED

MINIMUM OF 26 HOURS ($900) IN VOLUNTEER MATCH PER 30-YARD DUMPSTER MUST BE RECORDED

DUMPSTER(S) MUST BE PLACED OFF THE ROAD OR AT A DEADEND LOCATION WHERE THEY WILL NOT IMPEDE TRAFFIC

DELIVERY AND PICKUP ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON WEEKENDS OR HOLIDAYS

NO CHANGES MAY BE MADE WITHIN 5 DAYS OF THE RESERVATION

GREEN WASTE ONLY (NO TRASH, DIRT, OR PROHIBITED MATERIALS)

CHIPPING PROGRAM

Free curbside chipping to help you create defensible space and reduce wildfire risk. Place your trimmed vegetation at the curb, and North Tahoe Fire crews will chip it for you!

REGISTER YOUR PILE

For more information and to sign up, visit
https://www.ntfire.net/chipping-program

HOW TO SIGN UP

VISIT HTTPS://WWW.NTFIRE.NET/CHIPPING-PROGRAM.
THIS WEBSITE LISTS ALL PILE REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING PILE SIZE AND WHAT WE WILL AND WON’T CHIP. CLICK ON “SUBMIT REQUEST”

YOU HAVE NOW BEEN REDIRECTED TO NORTH TAHOE FIRE’S CHIPPER DAY SITE. PILE REQUIREMENTS ARE ALSO LISTED ON THIS PAGE. THERE IS A SEARCH BAR THAT STATES “ENTER YOUR ADDRESS.” ONCE YOUR ADDRESS IS ENTERED, A NEW SCREEN WILL APPEAR WITH AVAILABLE EVENTS.

THERE WILL BE ONLY ONE AVAILABLE EVENT POSTED AT A TIME, THE SOONEST CHIPPING EVENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LISTED PROPERTY.

SELECT THE EVENT. YOU’LL THEN BE DIRECTED TO THE CHIPPING RESERVATION FORM.

ONCE AT THE CHIPPING RESERVATION FORM, IT WILL ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND REQUIRE A PICTURE OF THE CHIPPING PILE

FROM THERE, YOU CAN SUBMIT THE RESERVATION, AND YOUR PILE IS SIGNED UP.