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Overview
Basics
Basics
The project surveyed fuel treatment areas impacted by the Caldor fire to measure fire effects to vegetation using standard measures of fire severity and tree mortality. This work compliments studies being carried out by other teams of fuel treatment influences on fire-fighting effectiveness and structure protection.
A link to the report and more information in the project details below.
The study found: Across all treatment types, trees were 3x more likely to survive fire in treated areas. Fire severity measures were significantly lower in treated versus untreated areas. The most effective fuel treatment was multiple entry mechanical and hand thinning followed by mastication.
Post-Implementation
2021
2022
2025
$85,000
Robert Larsen (robert.larsen@resources.ca.gov)
12/03/2021
02/13/2026
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| Location Information | Location Notes |
|---|---|
Organizations
Organizations
EIP Details
EIP Basics
EIP Basics
04.01.01.0167 - Fuel treatment effectiveness surveys, Caldor Fire
Performance Measures
Expected Performance Measures
Expected Performance Measures
No expected performance measures set for this project.
Reported Performance Measures
Reported Performance Measures
No annual performance measure accomplishments entered for this project.
| No accomplishments to report for: | |
| Year(s) | 2022, 2023, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Explanation | There are no performance measures that align with research and monitoring accomplishments. |
Funding
Expected Funding
Expected Funding
$85,000
$104,216
($19,216)
| Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| League to Save Lake Tahoe (League) | $20,000 | $20,000 | $0 |
| Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (BLM) | $74,216 | $74,216 | $0 |
| Tahoe Fund (Tahoe Fund) | $10,000 | $10,000 | $0 |
| Grand Total | $104,216 | $104,216 | $0 |
Reported Expenditures
Reported Expenditures
| Total | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League to Save Lake Tahoe | $20,000 | $0 | $0 | $20,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act | $74,216 | $0 | $0 | $55,000 | $19,216 | $0 |
| Tahoe Fund | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $10,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Grand Total | $104,216 | $0 | $0 | $85,000 | $19,216 | $0 |
Photos
Fire severity map of the Caldor Fire. Transect centers identified by their number. Green = unburned and very low severity; yellow = low severity; orange = moderate severity; red=high severity.
(Timing: After) (~568 KB)
The UC Davis field crew collecting data for the Caldor fuel treatment effectiveness project on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
(Timing: During) (~1,371 KB)
Fuel treatments in the Caldor Fire area and locations of transects. CT = commercial thinning; PCT = precommercial thinning; HT = hand thinning; CTL = cut to length operations; Mast = mastication.
(Timing: Before) (~466 KB)
The UC Davis field crew collecting data for the Caldor fuel treatment effectiveness project. The field crew is recording data along a transect that crosses through the fuel treatment.
(Timing: During) (~7,881 KB)
Box plots comparing the RdNBR remotely sensed fire severity among untreated forests (“none”) and three treatment types. Horizontal lines-median, and the boxes delineate the 25th and 75th percentiles.
(Timing: After) (~20 KB)
Other Details
Watersheds
No watersheds set for this project.
Threshold Categories
-
Assess erosion potential associated with relative burn severity in various treatment areas
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Assess the impact of vegetation treatment efforts on fire behavior and relative burn severity.
Local and Regional Plans
Related Projects
Related Projects
04.01.01.0167 - Fuel treatment effectiveness surveys, Caldor Fire is associated with following groups of projects.
External Links
Notes
Notes
| 12/10/2025 10:05 AM | Beth Vollmer | Executive Summary bullet points: • Across all treatment types, trees were 3x more likely to survive fire in treated areas • Fire severity measures were significantly lower in treated versus untreated areas • The presence of unburned fuel piles in a number of areas led to higher than expected fire severity and tree mortality • The most effective fuel treatment was multiple entry (pre-2005 and 2019) mechanical and hand thinning followed by mastication •Hand thinning and fuel piling followed by pile burning was also an effective treatment. |
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| 11/21/2024 8:43 AM | Robert Larsen | The project is complete and the final report is available on the Tahoe Science Advisory Council's website: https://www.tahoesciencecouncil.org/_files/ugd/c115bf_22b922d15d9946f887d6d2d9127b038a.pdf |
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| 11/07/2023 2:21 PM | Robert Larsen | The USFS team completed field work and will be delivering a final report in early 2024 | ||
| 12/20/2022 2:21 PM | Robert Larsen | The project is fully funded by SNPLMA emergency response funds provided directly to the USFS. Fund expenditures are estimates. The project is scheduled to finish fall 2023. | ||
| 12/02/2021 3:11 PM | Robert Larsen | This is one of three Caldor Fire "rapid response" science projects led by the Tahoe Science Advisory Council. |