NEVADA CITY, Calif. May 28, 2019 – The 2019-2020 Wildfire Season Guide, created by the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County in collaboration with numerous agencies in Nevada County, is available for download.

The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County is a non-profit, local volunteer based organization dedicated to making Nevada County safer from catastrophic wildfire through fire prevention education, fire break clearing projects, and creating Firewise Communities/USA®.

FREE HELP:
• Defensible Space Advice at Your Home
• Year-Round, Drive-by Chipping Service
• Defensible Space Clearing for Low-Income Seniors & the Disabled
• Hazard Tree Removals for Low-Income Residents
• Emergency Evacuation Guide
• Scotch Broom Challenge – Weed Wrench Loans & Community Project Sites
• Fire Safe Products – Reflective Road/Address Signs & Fire Rated Tarps
• Firewise Communities/USA® Certification Assistance
• Neighborhood Education Presentations
• Reduced Cost Air Ambulance Service Memberships

Together, we can make all of Nevada County fire safe!

Working together, residents can make their own property – and their entire neighborhood – much safer from wildfire. The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County has been assisting individual neighborhoods in completing the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise Communities/USA® certification process for over 10 years.

It begins with a few concerned citizens who form a committee. Next, a community wildfire hazard assessment is conducted in collaboration with a Registered Professional Forester, your local fire department, and CAL FIRE. From this assessment, recommendations are given in how to best address the wildfire hazards. The community committee develops an action plan to implement the recommendations. Once the action plan is in place, an educational event is held to let residents know their part in implementing the action plan. The certification is renewed annually to keep a focus on the ongoing need for vegetation management to reduce the wildfire fuel on the landscape.

Aside from being safer from wildfire by working together in your neighborhood to address the wildfire hazard, you may be eligible for a discount on your homeowner’s insurance if you live in a certified Firewise Community/USA®. The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) announced a rate reduction program for California which provides policyholders living in Firewise Communities/USA® a 5% discount on their homeowner’s insurance policy premium. That’s real cash savings along with the peace of mind that you’ve done all you can to protect your family from the most significant natural disaster threating Nevada County. Other insurance carriers are starting to notice the remarkable efforts of Firewise Communities, and are prequalifying those living in a Firewise Community for homeowners insurance.

To learn more, contact the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County at (530) 272-1122 or online at www.areyoufiresafe.com.

A message from the Nevada County Fire Chiefs to all residents

California has many rich historical moments, some of those being wildfires. Last year was one for the record books. Firstly, with the largest fire in the state’s history, the Mendocino Complex fires near Clear Lake that charred 458,123 acres. Secondly, the most destructive and deadliest fire, the Camp Fire in Butte County blackening 153,336 acres, destroying 18,804 homes and 85 civilian deaths. All told was an absolutely staggering total of 876,147 acres burned in 2018! Our state’s fires are becoming larger, more rapidly spreading, with greater destruction of property and loss of lives.

It is easy to understand, everyone is talking about fire prevention and what can be done, how can we do more, how do we save our homes, and most importantly, how do we save more LIVES?!

It all starts with you, the landowners, homeowners and even tenants taking responsibility and creating a safer environment around your home for your family, pets, and livestock. In this Guide are lots of suggestions and procedures that can help you prepare.

The most devastating and difficult wildfires to suppress are wind-driven fires such as the Camp fire that roared through Paradise and the surrounding areas in Butte county, at its worst consuming the equivalent of a football field (1.32 acres) every second.

These fires not only burn faster and hotter, but they throw hot embers out in front of the main fire. All those firebrands have to do to ignite spots even a mile ahead, is land on a receptive fuel bed of dry grass, needles or other forest litter, your patio furniture cushions and through your eave and foundation vents.

Removing or otherwise altering those receptive fuel beds could mean the difference to returning to your home or an ash pile. This may sound harsh but far too many times every year we see the tragedy unfold, some from the comfort of our home (watching TV) and some on the front lines. So please help us help you.

Get prepared for wildfire before it strikes by following the READY, SET, GO process outlined in this Guide and that can be found at www.readyforwildfire.org.

The Nevada County Fire Chiefs hope that our citizens never face a fire like the one in Paradise last year. But we also know that it’s not if, but when the next wildfire will occur in our county. Let’s be as ready as possible.

From your Fire Chiefs of Nevada County