Thinning of trees for fuels reduction and forest health started last week on approximately 355 acres of National Forest System lands above Incline Village.

Mechanical cut-to-length tree removal will take place on U.S. Forest Service urban lots and in areas adjacent to communities over the next several months. Some areas will be closed for public safety.

The thinning involves using a harvester to cut the tree down, remove the limbs and cut the tree into sections in the cutting area.

The area on the east side of Mt. Rose Highway south of Tahoe Meadows will be closed to pedestrians from 7am-6pm daily for the next several months. Hazards may be present even when operations have ceased for the day and the closure is not in effect.

The forest thinning is part of the Incline Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Healthy Forest Restoration Project, which will treat nearly 4,000 acres on North Shore to reduce the risk of severe wildfire, improve forest health, and provide defensible space to neighboring communities.