Nevada City, CA – Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) has partnered with the Greater Champion Neighborhood Association Firewise Community to identify and remove approximately 38 large dead standing hazard trees with the potential to block Old Downieville Highway in the event of a fire or winter storm. This hazard area was identified in the 2024 Evacuation Study as a priority to mitigate and prevent major evacuation constraints for those trying to access Highway 49 from western Nevada City.
The hazard tree removal project is scheduled to start on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. Work will take place from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and will be completed within a few weeks depending on weather conditions. Many of the trees are located on a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) parcel near the Nevada City limits while a few trees are located on private and Nevada City owned parcels.
“This job will be a benefit to the Greater Champion Firewise Community and Nevada City as a whole. Old Downieville Highway is a key evacuation route and it’s currently threatened by clusters of dead pines standing on property owned by the US Bureau of Land Management and private individuals. We appreciate that County OES folks listened to our concern, worked with BLM and private owners, and funded the project,” said Sam Gitchel, Greater Champion Firewise Community Chair.
More Information About the Project
Similar to the Critical Evacuation Route and Hazardous Vegetation Removal Program, which will allow community members to submit proposals for wildfire mitigation actions in their neighborhoods, the Old Downieville project aligns with the priority locations and needs identified in the Evacuation Study and Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
OES has been able to expedite the project timeline by leveraging the Qualified List of tree removal and vegetation management contractors that was approved the Nevada County Board of Supervisors in July. The Qualified List streamlines the process of competitive bidding, vendor selection, and contract execution for project work.
“Although this specific project is very complex, Nevada County OES has built a great working relationship with our Firewise Communities, federal agencies and local partners to solve hazardous vegetation concerns across the County” said Ricky Martinez, Nevada County Defensible Space Supervisor. “Our BLM and City of Nevada City partners responded quickly to advance this project and were very helpful during the permitting process. Collaboration and cooperation are key when having to coordinate with multiple stakeholders on a single project.”
Know Before You Go
Plan ahead to avoid the project area while this important work is underway.
WHEN: Work scheduled to start on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, and will take place from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is anticipated that the project will be completed within a few weeks, weather dependent.
WHERE: Old Downieville Highway, Nevada City. The work zone is between the intersections of Champion Mine Road and American Hill Road.
BE ADVISED: Residents are advised to avoid this area as there will be significant wait times for traffic control. Pedestrians and cyclists are also urged to avoid this area while hazard tree removal operations are being conducted.
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 county-wide evacuation routes and safety, continuing to strengthen early alert and critical communication systems, and working with residents and community partners in emergency preparedness, defensible space, home hardening, green waste disposal, and fire- safe land stewardship. Learn more about OES at: ReadyNevadaCounty.org.