NEVADA COUNTY, Calif. — The Nevada County Board of Supervisors approved the Truckee Fuel Break Good Neighbor Agreement that will advance approximately 300 acres of wildfire fuel reduction work near Truckee, reducing wildfire risk and improving critical evacuation routes along Highway 89. The agreement between Tahoe National Forest and the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) allows partners to complete fuel reduction projects.
Under the agreement, Truckee Fire Protection District will lead the work to reduce hazardous vegetation on private land bordering Tahoe National Forest and Highway 89, from Jackass Point to Deerfield near the town of Truckee.
The agreement provides $604,750 in federal grant funding for the Truckee Fuel Break project. The Truckee Fire Protection District will provide the $345,000 in matching funds from Measure T to oversee the project. The project is expected to begin this fall and be completed in 2027.
“This is a great opportunity to partner with Truckee Fire on Measure T,” said Supervisor Hardy Bullock. “The project area has a lot of activity that will benefit from fuels reduction, from the new Coldstream neighborhood being constructed, our Navigation Center pilot and the Truckee River watershed project underway.”
The project will expand upon Tahoe National Forest’s existing Cabin Creek fuels reduction project toward the Town of Truckee, extending strategic fuel breaks that can help slow wildfire spread while improving firefighter access.
“Wildfire resilience depends on strong partnerships. The Jackass Point to Deerfield project demonstrates what’s possible when agencies move beyond jurisdictional boundaries and work toward a common goal. This agreement strengthens our collective ability to implement meaningful fuels reduction projects that make our forests healthier and our communities more resilient,” said Dillon Sheedy, registered professional forester and assistant wildfire prevention manager, Truckee Fire Protection District.
The Truckee Fuel Break project area was determined to be a high-priority treatment area in the Truckee Fire Protection District’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan and through the U.S. Forest Service priorities established by the Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership.
“This Good Neighbor Agreement is truly setting the mark for other counties. The way that we work together in Nevada County, not just for our shared guests but across our shared landscapes, is something you see in very few other places. State, county, federal and local governments work seamlessly together here,” said Tahoe National Forest Truckee District Ranger Jonathan Cook-Fisher. “The work is happening quicker and more efficiently because of the efforts of your staff.”
The first two Good Neighbor Agreements have resulted in nearly 500 acres of roadside hazardous fuel reduction work on Tahoe National Forest lands over the last two years.
“I’m thrilled that we’re entering our third Good Neighbor Agreement,” said Supervisor Heidi Hall. “I believe Nevada County has become a model, and we should do whatever we can to help people in other counties understand how these agreements could benefit their communities as well.”
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 countywide evacuation routes and safety, continuing to strengthen early-alert and critical communication systems, and working with residents and community partners on emergency preparedness, defensible space, home hardening, green-waste disposal, and fire-safe land stewardship. We are all in this together. Learn more about OES at ReadyNevadaCounty.org.