INCLINE VILLAGE, NV (MPG) - As fire personnel are responding to another new wildfire just outside the Tahoe Basin, the Tahoe Fund is launching a new fundraising campaign to help reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire in Tahoe. Anyone who contributes $100 or more to the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund will receive a basic level annual subscription to Watch Duty, providing access to the app’s verified, real-time wildfire alerts.

“Catastrophic wildfires continue to explode throughout the West, and we know the Tahoe Basin is not immune to the threat wildfire poses,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We established the Smartest Forest Fund in 2019 and since then, have actively pursued innovative forest health projects that are increasing the pace and scale of fixing our forests. By contributing to this effort, donors can help us pursue solutions to our forest health challenges.”

Forest density has increased over the past several decades in the Tahoe Basin, causing trees to compete for precious resources, including water. The Tahoe Fund intends to grow the Smartest Forest Fund to $5 million to drive forest health innovation through seed funding of pilot projects and technologies. The Fund has been used to invest in promising new ideas and pilot projects to find and scale meaningful solutions.

The Tahoe Fund intends to grow the Smartest Forest Fund to $5 million to drive forest health innovation through seed funding of pilot projects and technologies. Photo courtesy of the Tahoe Fund

To date, the Smartest Forest Fund has supported 23 projects across categories that include innovation and technology, workforce and education, wood utilization, community preparedness and advocacy, and the Fire Smart Community Pilots.

Watch Duty is a nonprofit that delivers real-time alerts and situational intelligence for wildfires and floods across all 50 U.S. states. Their network of active and retired firefighters, dispatchers, and emergency responders monitor radio traffic and verified sources around the clock to deliver easy-to-understand disaster intelligence in real time. The basic level annual subscription includes unlimited alerts for wildfires, air quality, weather, and more as well as advanced features like a real-time firefighting aircraft tracker. Learn more at www.watchduty.org. 

Donate to the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund here.