Smoke impacting Lake Tahoe region due to the Garnet Fire
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif – As of Tuesday, September 2, the Lake Tahoe Basin woke up to a layer of haze, and the smoke lingering across the region is primarily originating from the Garnet Fire in the southern Sierra Nevada.
The Garnet Fire was ignited by lightning on August 24, 2025, in the Sierra National Forest, south of Rodgers Ridge near Garnet Dike in Fresno County.
As of September 1, 2025, Cal Fire reported the fire had consumed 26,982 acres and was only 12% contained. Its rapid growth has been driven by steep terrain, dry vegetation, erratic weather, and limited access for direct attack tools.
NOAA smoke forecasts predict that hazy conditions would persist in the Lake Tahoe region “for the next couple of days,” with air quality hovering in the moderate range.
Weather patterns are contributing to the smoky conditions: warm, dry weather is enhancing smoke spread, and while a cooler trend with increasing chances of showers and thunderstorms is expected later in the week, heat is maintaining haze in the short term. Cooler temperatures are expected to start this weekend, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Reno.
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