Dry winds are blowing and there’s no major rain in sight. Fire season is still here!
Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition is ramping up our educational programs for this fall via our workshops and webinars. In facilitating support for our essential Firewise Communities, we are nurturing the organizations that help residents be fire aware and prepared on the most granular level—from home to home, property to property, as neighbors. We have several new roles and collaborations that are allowing us to help new and established FWCs even more.
The coalition’s fall programming also includes an educational event that can help residents to get discounts on ever-pricier fire insurance by observing fire-aware management of their properties.
In the coalition’s new role as one of the three Nevada County Firewise USA Regional Coordinators, the coalition is also collaborating with Nevada City and Grass Valley to bolster their support programs for Firewise Communities. Additionally, the coalition is lending a hand to other community organizations.
This is an important time of year for our fire-prone communities, especially Firewise Communities. Fall is the season for wind events and thus some of the largest wildfires in the state’s history. Importantly, November is the annual renewal deadline for all existing Firewise Communities. The coalition’s fall efforts are focused on assisting Firewise Communities in keeping their recognition current.
Mentoring and New Role as a Nevada County NFPA Firewise USA Regional Coordinator
Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition is Nevada County’s National Fire Prevention Association Firewise USA newest regional coordinator and the organization is growing, stepping into broader supportive roles. With more than 100 FWCs in the county, having several regional coordinators ensures that all FWCs get prompt assistance when needed.
Since the coalition started in winter 2025, we have helped more than five Firewise Communities form, expand, or get over the last recognition hurdles. As one of the three regional coordinators for NFPA Firewise USA—alongside the Truckee Fire Protection District and the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County—the coalition is participating in the CAL FIRE state Firewise regional coordinator meetings, getting the most up-to-date information on Firewise requirements and best practices to share.
Firewise Communities assisted by Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition are now able to put the coalition down in their Firewise portal account as one of their coordinators, allowing the coalition to help track their status. This is one of the most rewarding parts of the coalition’s programs. Community members are truly grateful for the help, because it is not easy becoming or leading a Firewise Community!
“When I decided to form a Firewise Community in my neighborhood, I knew nothing about the process. I connected with the Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition, and Jo Ann (Fites-Kaufman, the coalition’s president) helped me every step of the way,” said Charlie Landau, co-leader and founder of the Birchville FWC. “She conducted the drive-through site assessment with me and my co-leader. The coalition provided sample Site Assessment and Action Plan documents. Jo Ann volunteered to review the documents my team wrote through several revisions, pointing out requirements that were not clear from the NFPA site. She was always there to answer my questions. I am incredibly grateful for her tireless help.”
Collaborating with Nevada City, Grass Valley and Others
Collaboration is a key value of the coalition and the organization is expanding outreach into city limits, assisting Nevada City and Grass Valley on further developing and engaging Firewise Communities, all the while keeping the Nevada County Law & Fire Council up to date on our efforts.
We have contracted with Nevada City Office of Emergency Services to help form and engage FWCs in Nevada City, as part of their Neighbor to Neighbor Grant. Several FWCs are on the outskirts of the city, but Firewise organizing within city limits is just beginning. Working together, the Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition and Nevada City OES helped the Pioneer FWC form. The organizations are pairing up for community events, such as the Cashin’s Field BBQ on September 16, to help raise awareness of the benefits of being in a FWC.
The City of Grass Valley’s Community Risk Reduction Manager Duane Strawser is partnering with the coalition to develop and engage FWCs in Grass Valley. A new FWC
is being formed adjacent to the Bear Yuba Land Trust Wildflower Ridge Preserve. We are helping to connect them to work together to ensure that all areas in the neighborhood are fire ready.
Act Now! Fire Readiness Educational Resources
Our communities are most fire prepared when everyone is aware. Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition takes education very seriously and has been honing educational materials to share. The fall theme is about remembering that fire season is still here!
Fall is a critical time of year for Nevada County’s fire-prone communities because it brings wind events and, historically, some of the largest and deadliest wildfires in the state’s history. Nevada County residents remember the catastrophic 49er Fire (1988), as well as the Camp Fire in nearby Butte County (2018), and the Tubbs Fire in Sonoma County (2017).
Our Act Now! messages focus on what actions you can take now to be wildfire prepared. Those pesky fall winds keep blowing leaves onto roofs and into gutters, and collect along the house. Our checklist helps remind you to keep your home zone ignition free. Through our Facebook and Instagram pages and on our website we are sharing important educational messages, timely for this dry and windy time of the year.
Firewise Community leaders say these posts help with organizing, save leaders valuable time, and really help get the word out. “Whoever is responsible for the wonderful handouts, please thank them! Fantastic, and what a time saver,” said one leader.
Workshops and Mentoring
Fall is also a critical time for FWCs because November is the annual renewal deadline for all existing Firewise Communities. The coalition’s fall efforts are focused on assisting FWCs in keeping their recognition current, which requires collecting information about Firewise activities—including educational events for residents and hours and money that residents spent on Firewise activities—from their residents and submitting that information to the National Fire Protection Association.
“Our goal is to nurture Firewise Communities, which play an essential role helping their residents be fire aware and prepared at personal, property, and community levels,” said Fites-Kaufman.
The workshop series offered this fall focuses on making sure new and existing FWCs have what they need to obtain—and then retain—their Firewise USA recognition,
through both individual and group assistance. For convenience, workshops are offered in person and virtually.
Later in the fall, once it rains more and CAL FIRE allows residential burning, then we will offer our Safe Pile Burn workshops again.
Workshops:
Gathering and Entering Investments into Firewise USA Portal: webinar 9/24/25 5:30-7:30 pm
Leading and Organizing a Firewise Community (for FWC leaders): webinar 10/9/25 5:30 pm-7:30 pm
How To Write a Firewise Fire Risk Assessment Madelyn Helling Library 10/11/25 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Gathering and Entering Investments into Firewise USA Portal Madelyn Helling Library 10/14/25 5:30 pm-7:30 pm
More details can be found on our website calendar. Register here
New IBHS Wildfire Ready Home Advisory Assessment Program
The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), a non-profit supported by the insurance industry, has a new program to provide consistent standards for homeowner’s discounts. Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition will be offering training for Firewise Community members and others who want to learn more about the program.
Participants will be able to help conduct advisory assessments in their neighborhood or community as volunteers for the Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition, both providing education about fire-safe property management and possibly helping residents explore insurance discounts. The checklist includes criteria that CAL FIRE uses and more based on the latest science.
At the coalition’s workshop on October 4, participants will hear from an insurance agent first-hand about the program, learn about the checklist and underlying science, and get practice conducting advisory assessments in real neighborhoods.
IBHS Wildfire Ready Home Advisory Assessments: Learn How to Conduct One
Grass Valley TBD 10/4/25 8:30 am-5:00 pm
About Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition
Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition is a local, non-profit volunteer-driven organization dedicated to reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire in Nevada County. We support and empower residents, visitors, and communities—especially Firewise Communities—through mentoring, sharing best practices, fire safety projects, and education. Through collaboration, we strive to create a more resilient landscape and community.