On Sunday, the North Tahoe Fire Protection District (NTFPD) responded to a fire that could have ended a lot worse than it actually did.
Crews kept the fire away from neighboring homes and the forest, but this is easier said than done; specifically because off all the snow that was on top of the house.
When the home burst into flames, fire crews had to proceed with more caution than usual.
“That could involve going defensive, not going interior because of a fear of roof collapse,” says David Rodriguez, Fire Prevention Officer with NTFPD.
North Tahoe Fire says in the case of this incident and many others like it, the roof of a home on fire can come down with ease when there's a heavy snow load on the home.
“Depending on how long ago your house was built will determine the structural stability of that house and how much snow it can take on the roof,” says Rodriguez.
Not only that, the fire can cause the snow to melt and slide off the roof. This can lead to a firefighter getting buried.
The thick snow can also prevent crews from getting on the roof to cut a hole for ventilation.
“Ventilation is to let the fire burn out and up to get oxygen so it doesn't spread through the rest of the structure,” says Rodriguez.
In addition to hampering their suppressive efforts, North Tahoe Fire says snow loads can even cause fires to start.
“The snow load has an effect on gas lines and gas meters and when snow falls off the roof, it breaks those and causes big problems,” says Rodriguez.
However, the snow load isn't just an added risk for firefighters when it comes to structure fires. They say they've responded to an increase in calls this winter because of all the snow that's spread throughout the community.
“General calls for traffic accidents, injuries, we've had calls from people who've gotten hurt from snow falling off roofs while snow shoveling,” says Rodriguez.
To prevent these types of accidents, Rodriguez says locals should take action early following a big storm event and shovel some of the snow off of their roofs.
