If you’ve lived in Nevada County for any length of time, you know that we’re no strangers to nature’s extremes—wildfires, floods, landslides, even winter storms that can turn our hills into ice mazes. This month, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors officially adopted the 2025 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), a detailed roadmap that prepares our communities for those very challenges.

It’s a hefty name for something incredibly practical: a guide to keeping our people, homes, and infrastructure safe. And beyond safety, it’s the key that unlocks millions in federal and state funding for resilience projects across our region.

What Exactly Is the LHMP?

The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan is Nevada County’s long-term strategy for reducing the risks of natural disasters. Updated every five years, it’s required by FEMA to ensure we remain eligible for federal grants that fund things like fire breaks, evacuation routes, and storm drainage upgrades.

The 2025 plan wasn’t built in isolation—it was developed with input from Nevada City, Grass Valley, the Town of Truckee, and special districts like the Nevada Irrigation District and Truckee Donner Public Utility District. Each jurisdiction now has its own “annex” in the plan outlining its unique vulnerabilities and action steps.

This year’s update is more comprehensive than ever, layering in climate adaptation, updated risk mapping, and priority projects. The plan now covers:

Nine+ key hazards:
Wildfire, flood, extreme heat and cold, landslide, dam failure, hazardous materials, and severe winter storms.

Updated hazard maps and data:
Pinpointing where risk is highest.

Jurisdiction-specific actions:
Projects each city and agency will pursue, from replacing bridges to fortifying fire stations.

Stronger wildfire mitigation ties:
For example, the Deer Creek Fuels Reduction Project covering 197 acres near schools, neighborhoods, and key infrastructure.

This plan isn’t just a stack of paperwork—it’s the foundation for real projects like the Lower Deer Creek–Penn Valley fuels reduction work, which will protect over 1,000 acres of vulnerable land and vital evacuation routes.

Having an approved LHMP means our county and cities can apply for FEMA and Cal OES mitigation grants. Without it, we’d lose access to those funds—and with them, opportunities to strengthen evacuation routes, expand defensible space programs, and upgrade community infrastructure.

For residents, it means your neighborhood, your schools, and your commute routes are part of a coordinated, well-funded safety strategy.

It’s also an open invitation to get involved. The county regularly posts public surveys, community meetings, and project updates tied directly to the LHMP. Sharing your experiences—like where you see flood trouble spots or wildfire risks—helps direct funding where it’s needed most.

You can dive into the full plan, interactive maps, and annexes on the county’s LHMP page.

The 2025 LHMP is more than a bureaucratic milestone—it’s a collective promise to prepare smarter, act sooner, and protect the people and places we love most. Nevada County has always been resilient; this plan just gives that resilience a clearer roadmap and a stronger foundation.