Nevada City – The Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) and the Yuba Watershed Institute (YWI) will host a community Town Hall on Monday, June 16, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center to share updates on the South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project.
The event will offer landowners, Firewise Communities, and nearby residents an opportunity to learn about the project’s goals, progress to date, and next steps. Speakers will provide a summary of Phase 1, the planning phase, which included landowner outreach, environmental compliance, and treatment design. Presenters will also walk through the results of the environmental analysis and explain how those findings shape future implementation work.
Attendees will hear details on the goals and prescriptions for vegetation management, how parcels were selected for participation in Phase 2, and how site-specific assessments were completed to determine the best treatment approach for each property.
“This is a critical moment in the project,” said Chris Friedel, Executive Director of the Yuba Watershed Institute. “We’ve completed the environmental analysis and are ready to move into implementation. We want landowners to understand how their property fits in and how this work can reduce wildfire risk and improve forest health across the San Juan Ridge.”
The South Yuba Rim project spans more than 6,000 acres along the north rim of the South Yuba River canyon, stretching from Bridgeport to North Bloomfield. It is a multi-phase, landscape-scale effort to reduce hazardous fuels, protect infrastructure and communities, and restore ecological resilience. The project is a collaborative initiative involving the Nevada County OES, YWI, Bureau of Land Management, CAL FIRE, and local Firewise Communities.
Community members are encouraged to learn more and explore the interactive project map at: https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/3806/South-Yuba-Rim-Hazardous-Fuels-Reduction
About the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES)
OES leads the county in all-hazards planning, preparedness, response, and recovery, with a special focus on wildfire. The office works to strengthen evacuation planning, alert systems, defensible space compliance, and fire-safe land stewardship. Learn more at: https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/2712/Projects
About the Yuba Watershed Institute (YWI)
Founded in 1990, YWI is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable land use and protecting the long-term biological diversity of the Yuba Watershed. YWI partners with agencies, landowners, and community groups on landscape resilience and public education. Learn more at: https://yubawatershedinstitute.org