Governor Schwarzenegger Praises Firefighters

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger praised those who have been working against windy conditions on the fire that’s burned hundreds of homes in the Lake Tahoe area.  He had some advice for Californians to prepare for fire season—particularly those who live on the edge of wildland areas. 

 “You have to clear the brush out, and also get rid of the dry leaves and prepare yourself for fire season. Because you can clearly see when you drive around there are certain homes where the fire went right up to the home but the home was safe…”

State and local officials fielded questions about preparation in the Tahoe area for fire season—namely the reduction of brush and dead timber.

Some have criticized government agencies saying not enough has been done, and that there are too many restrictions on tree removal. At the news conference with the Governor, the Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency responded saying they’ve worked on preparations for years—but that he understands emotions are running high.