Empty campgrounds, burned ski lifts: will Lake Tahoe be a tourist destination once again?

Wildfires spell a threat to the tourist industry in California mountain towns as vacationers cancel trips and national parks close

Related: Our future might not look the same': wildfires threaten way of life in California's mountain towns

For weeks, thick smoke filled the skies above Lake Tahoe, emptying the normally bustling towns that surround its alpine blue waters during the waning summer weekends. Eateries were closed, campgrounds cleared, and boats stayed anchored or moored along the shore.