Community Invited to Participate in the Forest Health and Wildfire Risk Survey and Town Hall

NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. — Nevada County community members are invited to attend the “Hard Choices in the Woods: Forests, Fire and Herbicide” informational Town Hall on forest health and vegetation management tools used to reduce wildfire risk in Nevada County. Residents are encouraged to share their questions in advance through the survey at ReadyNevadaCounty.org/Escape. The survey provides an opportunity for anyone unable to attend to have their questions posed to the panel during the Town Hall.

The Town Hall will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at Miners Foundry Cultural Center, 325 Spring St., Nevada City. Local organizations and agencies will discuss forest management practices, including forest thinning, prescribed fire, and herbicide use among other commonly used methods such as mastication and hand thinning. The Town Hall will be facilitated by City of Nevada City.

Community partners at the Town Hall include South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL), Sierra Streams Institute, Nevada County Resource Conservation District, Yuba Watershed Institute, the U.S. Forest Service, the Nevada County Agricultural Commissioner, HUṠWEJ, Nevada County Prescribed Burn Association, City of Nevada City, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services, and Bear Yuba Land Trust.

“Nevada County is fortunate to have a deep pool of local organizations dedicated to addressing catastrophic wildfire risk in the places we live, work, and play” said Alex Geritz, forestry project manager, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services. “This informational session provides the community the opportunity to learn more about how and why different methods are used from a diverse group of place-based experts.”

Panelists will discuss the suite of forest health and fuels management tools used by local organizations to improve evacuation outcomes and reduce wildfire risk.

About the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) OES works under the Emergency Preparedness Board Objective, leading the community in all-hazards planning, preparedness, response, and recovery, with a focus on wildfire. OES focuses on improving countywide evacuation routes and safety, continuing to strengthen early-alert and critical communication systems, and working with residents and community partners on emergency preparedness, defensible space, home hardening, green-waste disposal, and fire-safe land stewardship. We are all in this together. Learn more about OES at ReadyNevadaCounty.org.