The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County Access and Functional Needs Defensible Space Program is designed to help low-income seniors and/or disabled citizens create a defensible space surrounding their residence (such as brush clearing and weed abatement). These people do not have the physical or financial ability to create their own defensible space. Age or disability and income verification must be submitted to determine eligibility.

Call to see if applications are currently being accepted 530-272-1122. In the past, both property owners, and renters with property owner's permission, have been eligible.
FAQs, APPLICATION INFO, AND LINK TO FORM here: https://www.areyoufiresafe.com/programs/access-functional-needs-afn

APPLICATION FORM IS HERE:
https://cdn-cms.f-static.net/uploads/2149934/normal_5f1604a6f2870.pdf
You can fill in and submit online, or download, print, and mail to: Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, Access and Functional Needs, PO Box 1112, Grass Valley, CA 95945

Form … [read more]

The Nevada County Resource Conservation District has a Natural Resources Advisory Visit Program (AVP) that offers Nevada and western Sierra County landowners personalized assistance with natural resources management on their property. This program provides general guidance and information in addition to facilitating referrals to other public and private resource professionals at no cost to the landowner.

Our mission is to promote responsible resource management within our jurisdiction through education, leadership, technical assistance, and project facilitation.

Some examples of the technical services, information, assistance, and assessments we offer are:
• Soils information
• Erosion control
• Drainage issues
• Rural road maintenance
• Pond management
• Pasture management
• Rangeland management
• Forest health management
• Livestock water development
• Cross fencing
• Soil nutrient management
• Wildlife habitat improvement
• Pest management
• Watershed issues

There are three main factors regarding residential outdoor burning:

1. where you live (burning is always prohibited inside the city limits of Nevada City and Grass Valley)
2. which fire jurisdiction serves your location
3. whether a burn permit is required

See info below for CAL FIRE, Nevada County, and Placer County.

CAL FIRE
During certain times of the year and in certain parts of the state, residential landscape debris burning of dead vegetation is allowed. However, homeowners should always check with their local fire station or CAL FIRE station, as well as local air quality management agency before burning. Burn permits are required many places and during the dry months, CAL FIRE prohibits burning altogether.

• Cal Fire Burn Permits - https://burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/
• Cal Fire Burn Status - https://burnpermit.fire.ca.gov/current-burn-status/

IMPORTANT: CAL FIRE Burn Permits are only for within the State Responsibility Area (SRA), or where CAL FIRE has jurisdictional authority. … [read more]

The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County offers brush chipping that has been cleared from defensible space of any permanent structure, and/or 30 feet from any roadside or driveway used for evacuation purposes.

2022 Chipping Program is up and running. Wait times can be 2-6 weeks. Our chipping service is limited to 4 hours per customer per application for $75/hour. A limited number of applications may qualify for free chipping services based on income, age, and/or disability.

For Chipping Program instructions, please see:

• website: https://www.areyoufiresafe.com/programs/chipping-program
• Online application form: https://clienthub.getjobber.com/client_hubs/0ea7b196-f50e-4e4b-9a3a-f2f6486280f3/public/work_request/new?source=social_media
• flyer: https://cdn-cms.f-static.net/uploads/2149934/normal_5de58a5e8a7fb.pdf (this flyer has a good list of DOs and DON'Ts for brush piles and includes a mail-in application form, but there is an online application form at the above link)

Sub… [read more]

What is a Clean Room?
A clean room is a room that is set up to keep levels of smoke and other particles as low as possible during wildfire smoke events. A clean room should be free from activities that create particles such as cooking or smoking, and the doors and windows should be kept closed to prevent smoke from getting in. A clean room can also contain a portable air cleaner that makes the air in the room cleaner than the rest of the home.  

Why Create a Clean Room?
If there is an active fire in your area, or if the Air Quality Index indicates smoke levels are unhealthy and forecasted to remain there, local authorities may advise you to stay indoors or create a clean room. Spending time in a clean room at home can help reduce your exposure to smoke while staying indoors.
Conditions can change quickly, so you should always be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Follow your local news, the AirNow website, https://www.airnow.gov/, or your state air quality website for … [read more]

This program is on hold during COVID-19 pandemic.

The Defensible Space Advisory Visit program provides a one-on-one consultation and advice at your home for comprehensive education on compliance with Public Resource Code 4291 – the law that requires defensible space around structures. PRC 4291 was expanded in 2005 from 30 feet to 100 feet of clearance.

Submit this form to request a visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrblqU0tf4lTQVaK1bmGkmMWgwg1b4YmA0o3d4XsMpAmg9jw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

Fire Safe Council asks that people please consider making the suggested tax-deductible donation of $25 (to cover cost of training and materials) after their visit. 

With increased promotion of defensible space, many people were confused and had difficulty understanding what needed to be accomplished. The council implemented a volunteer advisory program with formal training by CAL FIRE and local resources to provide an advisory visit that mirrored a compliance inspec… [read more]

On July 12, 2022, the Placer County Board of Supervisors approved the establishment of a Defensible Space Fuels Reduction Pilot Program and committed $200,000 in funding for the 2-year pilot period. The goal of the program is to assist vulnerable residents in creating defensible space around their homes and properties in order to reduce the risk of loss of life and property in the event of a wildfire. The program will provide up to $5,000 per property to property owners in unincorporated Placer County who have very low income and are elderly or disabled to hire a contractor to assist in bringing The property into compliance with the County’s Hazardous Vegetation Ordinance requirements.

See eligibility and application info here: https://www.placer.ca.gov/8445/Defensible-Space-Fuels-Reduction-Pilot-P

Weather watch/warning/advisory definitions: https://www.weather.gov/lwx/WarningsDefined. This information can help with emergency preparedness. In addition to web links below, the National Weather Service Sacramento office can be reached 24/7 at 916-979-3051.

SOME KEY ONES IN NEVADA COUNTY (fire, heat, flooding):

FIRE
The National Weather Service issues Red Flag Warnings & Fire Weather Watches to alert fire departments of the onset, or possible onset, of critical weather and dry conditions that could lead to rapid or dramatic increases in wildfire activity. 

• A Red Flag Warning is issued for weather events which may result in extreme fire behavior that will occur within 24 hours.
• A Fire Weather Watch is issued when weather conditions could exist in the next 12-72 hours.

 
A Red Flag Warning is the highest alert. During these times extreme caution is urged by all residents, because a simple spark can cause a major wildfire. A Fire Weather Watch is one level below a Red Fla… [read more]

Provides educational information on how to get through a disaster. Helps to equip local and state emergency preparedness; coordinates federal response to a disaster.

 

In the event of disaster, the Ready Nevada County dashboard will display real time data.
READY NEVADA COUNTY DASHBOARD - https://nevcounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=dfae8e3b36e3455bbf9dcc865349e72e

The Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) is responsible for coordinating with County departments, municipalities, key stakeholders, and special districts to mitigate against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from all disasters.

Ready Nevada County is an effort coordinated by OES to raise awareness and mobilize the community to prevent and prepare for wildfire.

2022 READY, SET, GO! Handbook - English
https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/44617/2022-Ready-Nevada-County-Handbook-PDF
Includes info about evacuation planning and checklists.

Spanish Handbook - 2021 ¡PREPARADOS, LISTOS, A EVACUAR! Manual
As of 7/22/22 the 2022 edition of the Spanish READY, SET, GO! Handbook is not yet available.
https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/D… [read more]