The "official" Wildfire Awareness Week falls in May, but this year the Lake Tahoe community marks the event in July, according to a story in the Tahoe Daily Tribune.

UC Cooperative Extension natural resources advisor Susie Kocher told the newspaper that participation in the statewide springtime event has been low in the Tahoe Basin because many second-home owners are only there in the summer.

Because of the low participation rates, fire professionals, the Nevada Fire Safe Council, University of Nevada and University of California Cooperative Extension programs and other organizations created their own week-long event to promote wildfire and ember awareness.

“The event is being held to encourage all Lake Tahoe Basin residents to ‘Be Ember Prepared' and help protect their homes and communities from the embers that cause destruction of many homes during wildfires,” Kocher was quoted.

The article says a capstone event will be a wildfire summit on July 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Harvey's Casino. More information and the complete schedule of events are available on the Living with Fire website.