Over the past two years, the Nevada County Resource Conservation District (NCRCD) has made significant strides in wildfire prevention and land stewardship through its growing prescribed fire program. By focusing on education, technical support, and collaborative action, the NCRCD has empowered landowners and ranchers to use fire as a tool to reduce fuel hazards, combat invasive plants, and enhance forage for livestock. This initiative not only helps protect the local community from wildfires but also supports the region’s agricultural economy.
Building Capacity for Safe, Effective Burns
One of the program’s key successes has been the ability to offer hands-on education. Thanks to a Community Wildfire Defense Grant from the U.S. Forest Service, funded through the Infrastructure Bill, the NCRCD hired a Prescribed Fire Community Outreach Coordinator and a Prescribed Fire Operations Coordinator. Together, they have organized more than 22 training courses, attended by over 350 community members. These workshops teach the basics of prescribed fire — a controlled, low-intensity fire used to reduce hazardous fuel levels, improve forest health, and restore native vegetation.
The NCRCD works closely with CAL FIRE, who often joins us in these courses to share their expertise. A key part of our mission is to help neighbors organize and work together, especially in Firewise Communities, where residents help each other prepare and burn safely.
Empowering the Next Generation
This year, the program reached a new audience by hosting a special workshop for 42 9th-grade students from SAEL High School. The students learned how to measure fuel levels and prepare sites for prescribed burns. They were also trained on fire safety and hand-tool usage, constructing control lines — or “trails” — around a defensible space on the property of an elderly community member. In just one afternoon, the students helped build control lines around nearly an acre of land, contributing to a safer, fire-resilient landscape.
The engagement of local youth is an exciting step in fostering the next generation of land stewards. The hands-on experience gives students a tangible understanding of fire ecology, safety, and the importance of land management.
Ranchers on the Front Line
Ranches are critical to wildfire prevention in Nevada County. These expansive working lands not only support the local economy but also serve as buffer zones in the wildland-urban interface — areas where developed properties meet forests and grasslands. Proper management of these large open spaces through fire and grazing can significantly reduce the intensity of wildfires.
However, invasive species like barb goat grass have made it increasingly difficult to manage these lands. This non-native grass grows late in the season, creating dangerous fuel loads that can catch fire quickly and burn intensely. Unfortunately, this grass is also poor forage for cattle, so pastures invaded by barb goat grass are often left ungrazed, allowing fuel to accumulate.
Interestingly, prescribed fire, when conducted in late spring or early summer, is one of the most effective tools for controlling barb goat grass. However, this type of burn is challenging and requires careful coordination with local fire agencies like CAL FIRE. To help ranchers manage this complex process, the NCRCD has launched several initiatives. These include providing professional fire crews to conduct pilot burns on ranches, offering workshops tailored specifically for ranchers, and organizing opportunities for local ranchers to observe burns firsthand.
Additionally, the NCRCD is acquiring a prescribed burn trailer, which will enable ranchers to tackle larger, more difficult burns with the right equipment and support.
Prescribed fire, paired with grazing, is one of the best ways to manage fuel levels and keep the landscape healthy. Our goal is to build capacity among local ranchers so they can safely and effectively conduct their own burns, reducing wildfire risks and sustaining their businesses.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
A key element of the NCRCD’s prescribed fire program is its emphasis on community collaboration. The “neighbors helping neighbors” approach is central to the program’s success. By organizing local groups and Firewise Communities to burn together, the NCRCD fosters a sense of shared responsibility for wildfire safety, “Prescribed fire can unify people and build community because you need help from your neighbors and friends to conduct a burn safely then that land helps protect everyone around it. If surface fuels are already consumed by prescribed fire, a wildfire won’t have anything to feed it” Jennifer Rain Crosby, Prescribed Fire Community Outreach Coordinator.
Wildfire prevention is a community-wide effort, and we’ve seen great success when neighbors join forces. By pooling resources and knowledge, we can protect our homes, our land, and our environment.
Looking Ahead
The NCRCD’s prescribed fire program is not just about reducing wildfire risks; it’s also about promoting good land stewardship and building resilience within the community. As more landowners and ranchers participate in prescribed fire and fuel reduction efforts, Nevada County will be better equipped to handle the increasing threat of wildfires.
The road ahead involves continuing to expand training opportunities, increasing access to resources, and strengthening partnerships with local agencies and stakeholders. Through education, collaboration, and the responsible use of fire, the NCRCD is helping to create a safer, more fire-resilient community — one where both people and the land can thrive.
Ways to get Involved
Sign up to participate in the Free Upcoming Prescribed Fire Education Workshops by visiting: https://www.ncrcd.org/prescribed-fire-education
Technical Support includes site visits to evaluate whether prescribed fire is a good tool for you to meet your objectives and needs. Discuss what steps are needed to be able to burn on your property.** If you have attended a Prescribed Fire Course with the NCRCD you are eligible to Sign up for a Site visit at your property here: https://www.ncrcd.org/prescribed-burn-site-visit
Join the Nevada County Prescribed Burn Association here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/qiHM07O/NCPBA
The Nevada County PBA plans to offer a variety of programs to support safe, legal and responsible burning including, but not limited to:
- Education: courses and workshops
- Online resources: information and video mini-courses
- Work parties: help others or get help preparing to and burning
- Info on equipment and tools: which are best, where to buy or borrow
- Technical support: site visits, help writing a burn plan
- Access to the Monthly Prescribed Fire Newsletter
For all other information on programs and community resources that the Nevada County RCD has to offer please visit: https://www.ncrcd.org/ or give us a call at: (530) 798-5529
