Washoe County launches new probe after more trees found coated at Lake Tahoe beach

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a new wave of suspected tree poisonings at Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe. Officers first arrived on June 24 after a strong smell was reported at the base of a pine, and soil samples later matched previous cases. On August 2, investigators discovered additional trees with an unidentified material, likely applied between 11:30 a.m. on August 1 and 5 a.m. on August 2.

Sheriff Darin Balaam called the intentional destruction “deeply troubling” and a loss for the community. The sheriff’s office has recorded several similar incidents at the beach since 2022, but no suspect or the chemical has been identified. Authorities are continuing to canvass the area for more evidence. The report also mentions the death of software engineer Yadessa Aga, 32, of Austin, who died in Nevada while attending a religious conference, though his death is unrelated to the tree incidents.