Worm Project: Phase 2
Incline Village, NV — In 2025, the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District (NLTFPD), in partnership with the Incline Village General Improvement District (IVGID), launched the 176.5-acre Worm Project, a wildfire fuels reduction initiative named for the long, narrow shape of the treatment area.
The project is creating an intensively managed forest buffer around neighborhoods above Highway 431 in Incline Village, extending from private property boundaries onto IVGID and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lands. By reducing hazardous vegetation, the project helps lower wildfire risk, improve firefighter access, and strengthen the protection of lives, homes, and critical infrastructure.
Work includes thinning understory vegetation and removing smaller, suppressed trees while retaining approximately 10–15% of native brush in a mosaic pattern. This approach supports wildlife habitat, protects soil stability and water quality, and preserves the area's natural forest character.
Phase 1, encompassing 62.6 acres, was completed in July 2025. Phase 2, covering the remaining 113.9 acres, is scheduled to begin July 20, 2026, and is expected to be completed by September 2026. The work will be performed using hand crews and low-impact, remotely operated mastication equipment operated by a qualified contractor to minimize disturbance while efficiently reducing hazardous fuels.
Phase 1 was fully funded by IVGID. Funding for Phase 2 is supported through multiple partnerships, including:
- A State of Nevada A.B. 578 Better Together Nevada Shared Stewardship Grant, administered by the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF), funding 94.9 acres with a 10% funding match from IVGID.
- A U.S. Forest Service Hazardous Fuels–Community Protection Grant, administered by NDF, funding 10.9 acres with a 50% funding match from IVGID.
- A Stewardship Agreement between NLTFPD and the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit supporting treatment of the remaining 8.1 acres.
A message from NLTFPD
“The Worm Project is an important investment in the long-term safety and resilience of the Incline Village community. While no single project can eliminate the risk of wildfire, strategic fuels reduction significantly improves our ability to slow fire spread, provide firefighters with safer and more effective access, and better protect lives, homes, and critical infrastructure,” said Fire Chief Ryan Sommers. “As wildfire seasons continue to become longer and more complex, proactive forest management remains one of the most effective tools available to reduce wildfire risk. Projects like the Worm Project complement defensible space efforts on private property, creating a more resilient landscape where neighborhoods and surrounding forests work together to withstand wildfire. We appreciate the community's patience and support as this important work takes place.”
Learn More & Stay Informed:
For project updates, wildfire preparedness information, and other community announcements, visit www.nltfpd.org and follow the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
####
