NEVADA CITY, Calif., June 1, 2026—Work to improve forest health and reduce the risk of wildfire in the North Yuba River watershed is ongoing as part of efforts by the North Yuba Forest Partnership. Project work may potentially impact access to popular recreation locations and Forest Service lands within the Tahoe National Forest area near Camptonville, Downieville and surrounding communities. For public safety, access may be restricted to Forest Service roads, trails and lands as contractors engage in active implementation this field season.

The public should expect an increase in log trucks on the highway and roads designated as haul routes (see map). In addition, the public is encouraged to avoid project areas due to mechanical vegetation management work, which includes the use of heavy equipment, movement of haul trucks, tree-falling operations, mastication and piling. Log trucks and equipment may be present seven days a week at any time. 

The following vegetation management projects will be active as weather permits, starting in late May through the end of the year:

  • Downieville: 3,350 acres east of downtown Downieville north of Hwy 49. Hand falling will begin August. 
  • Downieville Ridgetop Fuel Break: Development of an approximately 460-acre fuel break north of downtown Downieville and north of Hwy 49. Heavy equipment will be moving in and out of the project area along Lavezzola and Saddleback Roads. 
  • Eureka: Treatment of approximately 1,300 acres northwest of Downieville. There are no road closures in the area, but operations may impact travel along Forest Service Road 25-23 and 25. 
  • Gauntlet: Treatment of approximately 1,373 acres northeast of Alleghany and adjacent to Forest City. Expect heavy equipment and log trucks on Ridge Road and Henness Pass Road. There will be trail closures on portions of Truckee Ditch, Sandusky and Mexican Mine trails within the project area. View the forest closure order here.
  • Graveyard: Treatment of approximately 2,032 acres along Henness Pass Road east of Camptonville and west of Forest City. Expect heavy equipment and log trucks along Henness Pass Road. 
  • Greene Acres: Fuels reduction work planned on approximately 1,200 acres just south of Bassetts and Hwy 49. Forest Service lands, roads and trails will not be closed to the public during project implementation. 
  • New Bullards: Fuels reduction work planned on approximately 76 acres spread out along multiple tracts of forest service land. Treatment areas are spread in the Camptonville area west of Hwy 49. There are no planned traffic disruptions, but heavy equipment and trucks can be expected along Pendola Extension Road. 
  • Packer Salmon: Meadow and aspen restoration work, including timber removal planned on approximately 263 acres northwest of Bassetts nestled between Packer Lake Road and Gold Lake Road. There are no planned traffic interruptions, but trucks and machinery should be expected traveling in and out of the project area.
  • Sleighville: Timber and fuels reduction work planned on approximately 3,965 acres south of Hwy 49 and north of Pliocene Ridge Road. This project includes helicopter operations east of Camptonville through July 2026. Expect heavy equipment and log trucks along Henness Pass Road and route 34 (Joubert’s Road). 

View a map of active project areas here.

The North Yuba Forest Partnership was started in 2018 under the shared vision of prioritizing, planning and executing landscape-scale forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction across 275,000 acres of Sierra Nevada forests in the North Yuba River watershed. The partnership includes the U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, South Yuba River Citizens League, Camptonville Community Partnership, Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, National Forest Foundation, Sierra County, Blue Forest and Yuba Water Agency.

View a map of all planned, active and complete projects led by the North Yuba Forest Partnership here.