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Tree Cutting Rules Aiding Fires?07-18-07 | News
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Tree Cutting Rules Aiding Fires?




Some Tahoe basin residents blame tree cutting restrictions on the strength of the recent June fire.

The recent Lake Tahoe fire that destroyed 178 homes has some residents blaming the agency that regulates tree removal throughout the Tahoe basin for the fire?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, created in 1969, aims to balance development with protection of Tahoe?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The planning officials say their policies are being misrepresented. According to officials, residents can cut down trees that potentially endanger their homes, although a permit is required for larger ones. Tree removal is allowed within a home?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The Forest Service says it has been thinning 2,000 to 3,000 acres of timber each year and hopes to ramp up to 4,200 acres for the next two years.

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Singlaub says ultimately fire protection rests with the homeowner.

The local fire department provides a step-by-step guide to creating a defensible space including landscaping suggestions and how large a space a particular home warrants.

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

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