Investigation expands after more Lake Tahoe-area trees found killed by unknown substance

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said deputies returned to Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village, Nevada, on Aug. 2 after additional trees were found with a substance around their bases. The new discovery widened an investigation the agency says stretches back several years at the Lake Tahoe beach. Soil collected after an earlier July 24 call carried an odor consistent with previous tree-poisoning incidents at the property, the sheriff’s office said. Sheriff Darin Balaam called the repeated damage “deeply troubling” and said deputies were treating the case seriously. ### Which beach is at the center of the investigation? Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village is the site named in the sheriff’s Aug. 3 release. The beach sits on Tahoe’s Nevada side and is managed by the Incline Village General Improvement District, which said it is working with law enforcement and environmental specialists after multiple trees were found contaminated. (washoelife.washoecounty.gov) The Incline Village General Improvement District said the beach will remain open and that there is no immediate threat to the health and welfare of beachgoers. The district said it had begun taking steps to prevent similar conduct while specialists assess effects on the trees and surrounding soil. ### What did deputies find on July 24 and Aug. 2? (washoelife.washoecounty.gov) On July 24, deputies responded after a strong odor was reported near the base of a large pine tree at Burnt Cedar Beach, according to the sheriff’s office. Investigators collected soil samples and said the odor matched previous incidents at the same property. (sierrasun.com) On Aug. 2, deputies found additional trees with a substance around their bases, the sheriff’s office said. Local reports citing the investigation said 16 trees were found with suspicious material, adding to earlier tree losses documented over several years. ### How long has this been happening? (washoelife.washoecounty.gov) Since 2022, investigators have documented multiple cases at Burnt Cedar Beach involving a substance poured around tree bases or placed into holes drilled near their roots, the sheriff’s office said. The agency described the latest findings as part of that same pattern. (washoelife.washoecounty.gov) The New York Times reported on Aug. 5 that 11 trees had been killed over the past several years and another 16 were attacked this year. The sheriff’s office has not publicly identified the substance in its release, saying only that samples had a strong odor consistent with prior cases. ### Do investigators have any evidence of when the latest incident happened? Investigators believe the most recent poisoning happened between about 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 and 5 a.m. on Aug. 2, according to the sheriff’s office. (washoelife.washoecounty.gov) A trail camera captured a brief light near the area at about 2 a.m., and deputies are canvassing for more video. (nytimes.com) Sheriff Darin Balaam said in the release that the destruction represented “a significant loss for the entire community” and asked anyone with information to come forward so the person responsible can be identified and held accountable. ### What are investigators and local officials asking people to do now? (washoelife.washoecounty.gov) Detectives with the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office are continuing the inquiry and asking anyone who saw suspicious activity at Burnt Cedar Beach between Aug. 1 and Aug. 2 to contact the agency. The sheriff’s office said callers should reference case number 26-4225, and anonymous tips can also be submitted through Secret Witness. (washoelife.washoecounty.gov) The Incline Village General Improvement District said it will keep working with environmental specialists as the criminal investigation continues. As of Aug. 4, district officials said Burnt Cedar Beach remained open while soil and tree impacts were being assessed. (sierrasun.com) (washoelife.washoecounty.gov)