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Tahoe Donner Evacuation Study

Tahoe Donner, in partnership with the Town of Truckee, is studying how the community would evacuate during a large-scale emergency, and how to make evacuations safer for everyone.

WHY IS THIS STUDY NEEDED?
Wildfires and other emergencies can happen quickly, and getting people out of the area safely is critical. Truckee’s mountain setting, limited roads in and out, and high wildfire risk can make evacuation difficult, especially during peak visitor season when the population grows.

Tahoe Donner and the Town of Truckee are working now to understand today’s evacuation challenges and plan for improvements.

The study is jointly funded by the Town and Tahoe Donner, and uses both technical data and community input to find ways to improve evacuation safety across Truckee. A community-wide study is being conducted concurrently with a focused study on Tahoe Donner.

 

WHAT WILL THE STUDY DO?
The study will focus on evacuation routes and identify constraints such as traffic congestion, capacity limitations, road bottlenecks and gaps in emergency communication. By the end of the process, the study team will recommend ways to improve safety, traffic flow and emergency readiness for Truckee and Tahoe Donner.

The study is being conducted in coordination with the Truckee Fire Protection District, CAL FIRE, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and Caltrans.

 

TD COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
Join us on October 8 from 5:30-7PM to hear an update on the evacuation study, see candidate projects and ask questions to the project team. Please RSVP if you are attending in person here or RSVP for the Zoom meeting here.  The meeting will be held at the Northwoods Clubhouse, Mezzanine Conference Room.

PREVIOUS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

  • Interactive Online Map, Community Survey, and Comment Form:  From May – July 2026 participants shared their feedback through an online interactive map and community survey. The study team received over 200 comments which will help to inform future recommended projects!
  • Pop-up Events: Our team attended the following events this past summer.
    • Truckee Farmers Market, Tuesday, June 2, from 8AM to 1PM at Truckee Regional River Park
    • Truckee Day, Saturday, June 6, from 12 to 2PM at Truckee Regional River Park
    • Truckee Thursdays, Thursday, June 25 from 5 to 8:30PM at Downtown Truckee
    • Tahoe Donner Annual Member Meeting + Expo, Sunday, June 28
    • Tahoe Donner Summer Concert on the Green, Friday, July 3

 

STAY INFORMED
Want to be notified when the draft recommendations are released or when the community town hall is scheduled? Subscribe to project updates here and we’ll email you at key project milestones.

 

PROJECT TIMELINE

May – July 2026 – Community input phase
Online comment map and form open for public input. The project team will be at community events throughout the summer (see above). Technical analysis and evacuation scenario modeling continue at the same time.

August – October 2026 – Analysis and draft recommendations
The team reviews community feedback together with technical findings, drafts recommendations, and hosts a community town hall to share what we’ve heard and discuss proposed actions.

October – December 2026 – Final study and recommendations
The final Tahoe Donner evacuation study is completed and delivered to the TDA board.

*Timeline subject to change

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Is this an evacuation plan? Will it tell me when and where to evacuate?

    No. This study evaluates current evacuation conditions and recommends improvements. During an actual emergency, decisions about when and where to evacuate are made in real time by emergency managers and law enforcement. This study does not replace the alert and notification systems you should already be signed up for. To receive real-time emergency notifications:

    • Ready Truckee – Town of Truckee Emergency Alerts
    • Nevada County Alerts – Register for Nevada County Alerts
  • Will the study result in new evacuation routes or road improvements?

    The study will recommend top priority actions. These may include road improvements, changes to how things operate, better communication or new policies. Actual construction projects would need more planning, design, environmental review and funding beyond what this study covers.

  • How would improvements be funded?

    Funding depends on what is recommended and which agency is responsible. Improvements within Tahoe Donner could involve a mix of TDA, town, county, state and grant funding. The study identifies options; decisions about how to fund any TDA-specific improvements would be made by the TDA Board.

  • What happens after the study is done?

    Recommendations go to the Town and TDA for review and prioritization. Some changes, like improvements to communication or signage, can move quickly. Others, like infrastructure or policy changes, take longer and involve other agencies.

  • What happens if a fire or other emergency occurs during the study?

    Emergency response continues to work normally throughout the study. This study does not change how emergencies are handled today. It looks at how things work now and recommends improvements for the future.

  • Who is conducting the study?

    The study is being conducted by DKS Associates and partner firms on behalf of the Town of Truckee and Tahoe Donner Association, with input from regional emergency response and transportation agencies.

  • Are materials available in Spanish or other languages?

    Spanish-language materials are available digitally and at in-person community events. If you need information in another format or language, please contact us.

  • How can I get more information or ask a question?

    Email jhajduk@tahoedonner.com, or visit us at one of the community events listed above.