Travis Thane Selected as New Fire Chief for Tahoe Basin
Veteran wildland firefighter assumes leadership of fire management in Lake Tahoe area.
New Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit Fire Management Officer Travis Thane. Credit: U.S. Forest Service - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.
LAKE TAHOE — The U.S. Forest Service has selected Travis Thane as the new Fire Management Officer, also known as Chief 1, for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Thane will assume the new role on May 18.
Thane brings more than 25 years of wildland fire experience to the role. He most recently served as Division Chief on the Eldorado National Forest. Thane previously worked as an Assistant Fire Management Officer, Chief 2, for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit from August to December 2022.
The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit oversees more than 156,300 acres of national forest land surrounding Lake Tahoe. The unit focuses on watershed protection, forest health, recreation, and wildfire risk reduction.
Fire management in the basin includes fuels reduction projects and prescribed burns. Efforts aim to protect communities, infrastructure, and natural resources. The unit collaborates with state and local fire agencies as part of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team.
Thane is a nationally qualified Type 1 Operations Section Chief. He has served for more than a decade on interagency incident management teams. His background includes work in operations, fuels management, incident response, and training program development across California.
“I’m honored to step into the fire chief role on the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit,” said Thane. “I’m looking forward to working closely with our dedicated forest and fire team and our exceptional partners to support and strengthen the Tahoe Basin’s fire management program.”
Acting Forest Supervisor Dionne Uzes expressed excitement about the appointment. “Chief Thane brings more than 25 years of wildland fire experience to the position and will provide essential leadership and guidance for our wildland fire program in the Lake Tahoe Basin,” Uzes stated.
Thane earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business from California State University, Chico. He also graduated from the Washington Technical Institute’s Fire Management Program. Outside work, Thane enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, and traveling with his family.