LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Watermain construction by North Tahoe Public Utility District on Highway 28 near Kings Beach has drivers reporting 30 minute drive times from Incline Village to Kings Beach on Facebook community pages. That’s a drive that usually takes around 10 minutes.

With Mt. Rose Highway closed due to the Davis Fire, it’s sending all the more traffic that way. Some are asking why not cancel construction along with the school closures in recent days due to the fire?

According to a post by North Tahoe Public Utility District, the agency is monitoring the Davis Fire and is in close communication with CalTrans and local emergency officials.

“We are aware of the Red Flag warning and high fire risk conditions,” their announcement Tuesday states, “If requested, we are prepared to respond and can reopen the highway quickly.”

Justin Broglio with NTPUD says the project consists of an open trench on the shoulder of the roadway, so removing traffic control and opening the highway to two lanes would take crews under one hour.

“As of 3 p.m. this afternoon we have received no requests to stop work nor any indications that evacuation warnings or orders will be coming for communities in the Tahoe Basin,” Broglio explains. “If we receive any direction from CalTrans or emergency officials, we will act immediately to help keep our communities and the public safe.” 

Broglio says the project is part of NTPUD’s long term effort to improve water supplies for fire suppression in North Lake Tahoe. The new watermain pipelines will provide critical fire flows and news hydrants to the community.

NTPUD says one-lane traffic control will continue throughout the week, but will pause each day between 4-6 p.m. to reopen the road to two lanes to allow for afternoon commute traffic flows.

Regarding the fire potentially entering the Tahoe Basin, the Davis Fire information team says crews are working hard to keep the fire east of Mt. Rose. According to the Watch Duty website, the fire is burning on the south side of Mt. Rose Highway up to the turn off for Winters Creek, just below the Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe.

The Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe water resources are available to the fire crews managing the Davis Fire, including water from their snowmaking tank. The resort is spraying the lodges and providing water when directed by crews.

“As always, our special thanks go out to all the agencies working diligently to fight this fire and protect everyone affected,” said Mike Pierce, Marketing Director, Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe.

The information team will provide more information on operations and weather forecasts at a community meeting Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

That meeting will be streamed on both the Humboldt Toiyabe Facebook page and the Incident YouTube channel.