The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District will host a community blood drive Friday, May 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the main fire station on Tanager Street. Appointments can be made by phone or through Vitalant.

With spring here, the District reviews how to build and maintain defensible space around the home, from clearing dead vegetation within the first five feet to thinning shrubs and removing ladder fuels. Free curbside chipping begins May 9.