December 21, 2018 – This week, the Nevada County submitted six grants to CAL FIRE’s Fire Prevention Grants Program. This program provides funding for local projects and activities that address the risk of wildfire and reduce wildfire potential to forested and forest adjacent communities. Activities eligible for funding include hazardous fuel reduction, fire planning, and fire prevention education with an emphasis on improving public health and safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

County of Nevada applied for a total of $5,689,175 in funding; this figure includes County and partner in-kind match contributions. Awards will be announced April 2019 with projects beginning September 2019. All projects must be completed by March 2022.

Nevada County applications include:

Egress/Ingress Fire Safety Project (Public Works) 

Remove hazardous fuels along both sides of 200 miles of County-maintained roadway focusing on emergency egress/ingress routes.

Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone (Office of Emergency Services) 

Implement a fuel management defense zone west of Grass Valley. This project is ranked as the highest priority fuels reduction project for Western Nevada County in the Community Wildfire Prevention Plan.

Community Wildfire Preparedness Outreach and Education (Office of Emergency Services) 

  • Implement the Ready, Set, Go! Program. This education campaign teaches individuals how to prepare themselves and their properties against fire threats.
  • Coordinate two community-wide Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness Days at Eric Rood Administration Center.
  • Organize quarterly Community Wildfire Prevention Stakeholder meetings. Collaborate and strategize with community partners to leverage state and federal funding for greatest impact in Nevada County.

Zone Focused Evacuation Planning (Office of Emergency Services) 

Develop zone-focused evacuation and shelter-in-place plan based on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Planning Considerations: Evacuation and Shelter-in-Place guide.

Community Wildfire Prevention Plan Update (Office of Emergency Services) 

Update Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), to enable Nevada County to prepare for wildfires through the next decade.

Pilot Project for Vegetation Management on Private Roads (Office of Emergency Services) 

Provide landowner assistance for hazardous fuel management along private roads.