TRUCKEE, Calif. (July 23, 2024) – Truckee Fire has announced the third round of recipients of its annual Measure T community wildfire prevention grants to support forest fuel reduction and wildfire preparedness projects. The agency also presented the 2024 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) priority fuel reduction projects to be awarded.
“The enthusiasm and dedication of our community to enhance their wildfire mitigation and preparedness capabilities is inspiring. From engaging with foresters and contractors to writing grants and self-managing projects, Truckee leaders and residents are truly making a difference,” said Eric Horntvendt, Truckee Fire wildfire prevention manager. “Capacity building is essential to shifting the wildfire risk from Red to Green, and this year, we received applications totaling over $1 million—double the amount we had budgeted. We are so grateful to see the thoughtful initiative, and look forward to working with these new partners to get even more accomplished”
Community Wildfire Prevention Grants
Truckee Fire will fund two projects for a total of $557,736 to treat 161 acres. These were selected out of six applications totaling $1,075,255—double the budgeted amount for this year. An interagency review committee consisting of representatives from Nevada County OES, Town of Truckee, Truckee Fire, and the Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation reviewed the applications and made funding decisions based on a pre-assigned set of ranking rules according to grant guidelines.
The Tundra-TDPUD Partnership Fuels Reduction Project will receive $334,036 to treat the Central Truckee Area, adjacent to Pine Forest HOA and Tahoe Donner HOA in the lower Alder Hill Area. This 109-acre project is strategically located at the bottom of the slope, tying into several previously completed treatments in the Alder Hill area. The Glenshire to Brockway Fuelbreak Extension project will receive $223,700 to treat the Glenshire and Juniper Hill neighborhoods. This 52-acre project extends the existing Glenshire to Brockway fuelbreak established by Truckee Fire and partners in 2020.
Landowners, managers and Truckee residents can apply again in Spring 2025. Complete information on the grant program requirements can be found at www.truckeefire.org/grants.
CWPP Implementation Projects
Measure T also reserves funds for the direct planning and implementation of wildfire prevention managers and their community leadership teams. This year’s Measure T funded projects include fuel reduction in Sierra Meadows, thinning in Armstrong tract and a roadside fuel break at Martis Peak. The 2024 projects will be jointly funded by Measure T and the Truckee Tahoe Airport District (TTAD) for a total of $788,875, $305,000 of which is provided by TTAD. Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for all three projects were released on June 14, with proposals due by July 9. A contractor tour took place on June 24, visiting all three project sites.
The Sierra Meadows Community Fuel Reduction project will create a shaded fuelbreak to reduce wildfire intensity and severity, improve forest health, and enhance defensible space and wildfire resilience in the Sierra Meadows subdivision from Central Truckee to south of Downtown Truckee and north of Martis Valley. The 83-acre non-commercial fuel reduction project will focus on reducing forest stand density and eliminating surface and ladder fuels through mechanical and manual thinning, followed by mastication and tracked chipping.
The Armstrong Tract Hand Thin project implements fuel-load reduction and vegetation management to improve forest health and establish defensible space between developed lots and larger adjacent properties in the Armstrong Tract Community from Central Truckee to the eastside of Donner Lake and south of Tahoe Donner This 42-acre project will utilize manual thinning, tracked chipping, and piling where needed.
Finally, the Martis Peak Roadside Fuelbreak project will reduce fuel loading and vegetation along Martis Peak Road to improve emergency ingress and egress, forest health, and reduce wildfire hazards adjacent to roadway in Eastern Truckee, in the Juniper Creek and Juniper Creek Ranch areas. This project will cover 141 acres along 11.7 miles of paved roadway, with Liberty Utilities treating 30 feet from the edge of the pavement where their infrastructure exists.
“Thanks to the support and collaboration of our community, we are able to accomplish years of work in an abbreviated timeline. The amount of acres we are able to treat this year is remarkable – and necessary if we want to reduce our risk of catastrophic wildfire here in Truckee,” said Truckee Fire Registered Professional Forester Dillon Sheedy. “Each of the recipients is prepared to make an immediate and sizable impact on areas that we have deemed critical.”
In 2021, Truckee voters passed Measure T, a special tax dedicating local funding to wildfire prevention. Under this funding umbrella, Truckee Fire has successfully launched a comprehensive set of programs and initiatives to reduce fuels and improve forest health across its district this year, including this grant program, free defensible space inspections, free green waste removal programs, and the comprehensive Community Wildfire Protection Plan. For more information on Truckee Fire and Measure T, visit TruckeeFire.org.
About Truckee Fire
Truckee Fire Protection District was established in 1894 and is overseen by a locally-elected board of directors. TFPD protects the lives, property, and environment of residents and visitors to its 125 square mile fire district in and around Truckee through fire suppression, emergency medical services, fire prevention, and wildfire preparedness. For more information about TFPD, call 530-582-7850 or visit truckeefire.org.