Tahoe Basin - Pro-Active Evacuation Study

Tahoe Sierra Clean Air Coalition commissioned an evacuation study simulating evacuation times during worst-case wildfire scenarios in the Lake Tahoe basin, which borders CA and NV.

Aerial view of a city near a large lake, with snow on rooftops and surrounding trees, mountains in the background.

Evacuating Tahoe’s largest city could take 11 hours in a wildfire, study says

Line of cars on a city street with blurred background

The Tahoe Basin experienced widespread evacuations during the 2021 Caldor Fire.

This prime tourist region attracts millions of visitors a year. Today, evacuation could take some people up to 14 hours.

Doug Flaherty, the coalition’s executive director, said Tahoe Sierra Clean Air commissioned the study, which used artificial intelligence interpreted by wildfire experts, to simulate a variety of scenarios, designed to urge public agencies overseeing development around the lake to heed their  warnings that roads are already over capacity.

“We wanted to shine the light on how long it’s going to take to safely move people out,”  said Flaherty, an Incline Village resident and retired fire battalion chief.

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