California’s 2017 fire season is underway, with several blazes threatening land, property and lives across the state. The impacts of a wildfire can linger long after the blaze has been extinguished. Runoff from burned areas can carry ashes, dirt and other debris into lakes and rivers, threatening wildlife and the quality of drinking water. Our Headwaters Tour, September 13 and 14, will examine this and other water-related issues in our forests. 

Fire damage in a watershed can last for generations with the effects felt far downstream through decreases in the quantity and quality of water supplies and increases in risk of flood and erosion. As climate change continues to alter weather patterns, forests are at higher risk from increasing numbers of wildfires and their intensity, resulting in greater damage and expense from these natural disasters.

On our Headwaters Tour, we will visit Tahoe and El Dorado national forests to learn about forest management practices to both prevent wildfire and recover from them. Experts from the U.S. Forest Service and several state and local agencies will explain their work, their challenges and what the future holds for forest management.

Register here for this educational – and fun – tour being held September 13-14. We overnight at Lake Tahoe’s south shore. For an additional fee, you can receive continuing education credits for the tour. Click here for information about all of our tours or contact Tour Director Dan Scott at (916) 444-6240 for more details.