May 18, 2018 – The Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit of CAL FIRE is conducting two Wildland Urban Interface Drills. The first drill is scheduled for Alta Sierra on Sunday, May 20th. The second drill will be conducted in Lake Wildwood on Sunday, May 27th. Drills are scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Twelve to fifteen fire engines and forty to fifty fire personnel will participate in each drill.

Participating residents of the Alta Sierra and Lake Wildwood communities will learn what firefighters need to safely work when wildfire threatens homes. The interaction between the residents and firefighters results in a better understanding of defensible space, firefighting tactics, and how both of these elements align to enable effective structure defense.

Residents will receive a CodeRED emergency alert notification during the exercise and are asked to voluntarily participate in a mock evacuation drill. Educational displays and presentations will be conducted for residents while the firefighters are training. After the drill, lunch will provide an opportunity to review lessons learned between firefighters and the community. The goal is to be better prepared for emergency evacuations and the next wildfire in Nevada County.

Thank you to the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services, the Greater Alta Sierra Firewise Community, Alta Sierra Property Owners Association, and Lake Wildwood Association for their support and participation.

Prepare yourself and your family for the next emergency event by subscribing to Nevada County’s CodeRed emergency alerts on Nevada County’s Office of Emergency services website. To learn more about how to make your own home more fire safe, visit CAL FIRE’s website at or contact the local Fire Safe Council of Nevada County online or by calling (530) 272-1122.