Fire Chief Message

Fire Chief Steve Leighton

Steve Leighton is the Fire Chief of the North Tahoe Fire and Meeks Bay Fire Protection Districts, serving the north and west shores of Lake Tahoe, and the communities in Alpine Meadows. Chief Leighton is a 30-year veteran of the fire service.

March 2025 Update

Fire Districts Association of California recently released its white paper entitled “Fighting Fire with Funding:  The Urgent Need for Adequate Fire Service Resources in California.”  The white paper outlines the critical funding shortfall fire protection districts are facing as local government agencies try to keep up with the growing service demand.  Local fire agencies are struggling to maintain staffing, equipment and infrastructure with their current limited funding mechanisms.  It is hopeful the white paper will generate dialogue to develop long-term, collaborative solutions that prioritize fire service readiness at every level.  Sufficient firefighting resources are critical, yet often undervalued until a disaster strikes.

March has been a month of dedication, resilience and teamwork. Teamwork is the backbone of everything we do at North Tahoe Fire.  Whether it’s responding to emergencies, training or engaging with the community, we succeed because we rely on one another.  With that said, I want to recognize Firefighter/Paramedic Doug Levin for a job well done as the Pancake Breakfast incident commander.  From ordering the food to soliciting members and retirees to work as a team to make the event a true success.  I believe it was one of our most successful events ever.  The men and women of our organization have once again demonstrated their unwavering commitment to protecting our community.  In addition, I want to recognize Engineer/Paramedic Brent Wible for initiating a Captain Task Book, Firefighter/Paramedic Andrew Doe for initiating an Engineer Task Book and Probationary Firefighter/Paramedic Daniel Doe for moving into Phase 3 of the TAP process.

In other exciting news, after more than a decade of planning and advocacy, the Tahoe Basin Public Safety Training Complex (TBPSTC) is coming to the Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) campus.  The TBPSTC is the final major project funded by the local general obligation bond Measure F, passed by voters in 2014, with additional funding provided by the Fire and Forestry Pathways Demonstration Project.  This state-of-the-art facility is a critical investment, especially as the devasting effects of wildfire continue to challenge the state and beyond.  This facility will be a multi-disciplinary facility serving Fire Science, Wildland Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Wilderness Medicine and Search and Rescue programs.

I want to extend my gratitude to each member of our department for their dedication and professionalism.  Your commitment to each other and to our community is what makes North Tahoe Fire strong.  As we move into April, we will continue to focus on fire preparedness, community education, and strengthening our operational readiness.  Let’s keep supporting one another and working as a team to protect our community.

All members of the North Tahoe Fire Protection District are here to serve you every hour of every day. If you have any questions regarding the District or the services we provide, please do not hesitate to email me or call me at (530) 583-6911.

Respectfully,

Steve Leighton, Fire Chief

North Tahoe Fire Protection District (NTFPD) was formed in 1993 with the consolidation of the Tahoe City Fire Department (Est. 1941) and North Tahoe Fire (Est. 1957).  NTFPD provides service via contract to the Meeks Bay Fire Protection District (2014), to the community of Alpine Meadows (2006), and provides ambulance transport for the community of Olympic Valley.

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