LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Tahoe Fire & Fuels Team forest thinning projects are underway in the Lake Tahoe Basin. These projects are expected to continue for the next several weeks with some projects continuing through the fall, conditions and weather permitting. For project details view the Forest Thinning Projects Map at Tahoe Living With Fire which highlights current and upcoming projects. After decades of fire suppression, Tahoe Basin’s forests are overstocked and highly vulnerable to insects, disease, and catastrophic wildfire. Forest thinning projects are a vital forest management tool used by land managers to help protect communities by removing excess vegetation (fuels) on public lands that can feed unwanted wildfires. These projects complement defensible space and home hardening efforts on private property in neighborhoods and communities. Forest thinning also contributes to improved forest health, wildlife habitat, and watershed and forest resilience in the face of climate change.