Let’s just call it what it is: wildfire season isn’t some far-off “maybe.” It’s real, it’s annual, and if you live in Nevada County, it’s personal. The trees we adore, the trails we hike, the land we call home—it all needs protecting. And lucky for us, our county isn’t sleeping on it.
Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or just got your first taste of river rock sunburn, wildfire readiness isn’t optional—it’s essential. Here’s what Nevada County is doing right now to prep, and what you (yes, you with the garden hose and slightly overwhelmed to-do list) can do to help.
The Big Picture: CWPP 2025
The Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) isn’t just a fancy acronym—it’s the county’s game plan to get ahead of disaster. The 2025 version maps out fuel reduction across 400,000+ acres, with special attention to high-risk areas like the South Yuba corridor and those historic downtown pockets that have more charm than clearance.
And this wasn’t just a top-down operation. We’re talking 2,200+ local voices, multiple workshops, and even “Lunch-and-Learn” events that put tacos and preparedness in the same sentence. Nevada County came together to build this plan, and it shows.
Fuel Reduction & Evacuation Prep
Let’s get real: defensible space is more than a buzzword—it could be what saves your home. And Nevada County is making it easier to get it done.
• Fuel breaks are being built near Penn Valley, South Yuba Rim, and up toward the Tahoe forest corridor.
• Local groups can now apply for evacuation route micro-grants—up to $60K—to clear out brush on those narrow, winding private roads.
• Nevada City’s Measure C is generating almost $900K/year for vegetation clearing and fire-readiness projects.
Proof that our town is putting its money where the match might land.
Get Firewise
Our local Fire Safe Council isn’t just handing out flyers—they’re hitting the ground with:
• Home assessments for defensible space
• Help earning your Firewise Community status
(yes, that’s a thing, and no, it’s not just for HOA types)
• Shaded fuel break projects, custom address signs, and support for neighborhood-level prep work
These folks are neighbors, not suits—they’ll walk your property, offer real advice, and point you toward grants if you need them.
Stay in the Know
The County’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) is stepping it up big time. They’re mailing out readiness guides, hosting tabletop evacuation drills (yes, with AI tools—because 2025), and pushing hard for residents to sign up for CodeRED alerts.
Not sure what that is? Think of it like a bat signal, but for fires and evacuations. It tells you what to do and when—not after it’s too late.
You can also download this Wildfire Go-Bag Prep Checklist below and avoid the “panicked dash with one sandal and half a granola bar” routine.
What You Can Do This Week
Let’s keep it simple:
• Sign up for CodeRED so you don’t get caught off guard.
• Clear 100 feet of defensible space
yes, even if your kid’s fort is in there.
• Join or start a Firewise neighborhood group
(even if it’s just you and one super-prepared neighbor with a clipboard.)
• Print out an evacuation checklist and keep it on your fridge.
• Talk about it
With your partner, your kids, your neighbors
Wildfire prep might not be glamorous. But neither is losing everything because we meant to do it later.
Nevada County is leading by example, showing that small towns can do big things when they work together. Whether it’s grants for road clearing, state-of-the-art evacuation planning, or old-fashioned community grit, the message is clear: we’re in this together.
Let’s stay ready. Let’s stay rooted. And let’s protect this place we all call home.
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