6B Newsletter July 2020
‘You’re only as safe as your neighbor’s property’
Dear neighbors:
You’ve heard it before and it’s worth saying again. And again. Fire knows no boundaries.
To make our neighborhood as fire safe as possible and to ensure unobstructed and safe passage for firefighters, first responders and residents during an emergency, we are organizing work days in the three areas of our 6B and Friends Firewise Community: Scotts Drive and the adjoining Goose Pond area, the South Ponderosa area, and the Thoroughbred Loop area, which Jon Scadden has organized annually for many years.
Timing and tasks will depend on the conditions of each area, but in general, as required by county code, we will do our best to clear brush, weeds and other vegetation 10 feet from the roadside edge and limb up trees by 15 feet. We will not enter your private property. Coordinators in each of these areas will reach out to rally residents and organize the work days.
Suzan Minshall sent Scotts Drive/Goose Pond area residents an email on July 6 but has heard from only two people. Folks, neighbors pitching in for our mutual fire safety efforts is important. Please contact Suzan right away, whether you can participate or not, so she can plan: suzminshall@yahoo.com; (530) 274-7372.
Other news
Get a Defensible Space visit: Take advantage of this free service and schedule a visit to get an expert eye on the fire-ready state of your property, as well as recommendations for improvements.
We are lucky to have three trained Defensible Space advisors in our community. To make an appointment, you can call Lauren Drutz at (530) 559-5460, Karen Pridemore or Trent Pridemore at (530) 274-8770. Or to make an appointment with the Fire Safe Council click here, call (530) 272-1122, or send an email to info@areyoufiresafe.com.
The top no-no’s: Here are the most common fire safety no-nos Lauren, Karen and Trent say they observe during advisory visits:
Firewood stacked near or against the house. Firewood should be at least 30 feet away from buildings.
Wood chips and gorilla hair near the house.
The wrong size wire mesh is used to enclose vents, soffits, under decks and other ember-vulnerable areas. The correct wire mesh size is ⅛-inch, not ¼-inch.
Decks that are not enclosed and are used as storage areas for furniture and other flammable items.
Attic soffits that are not enclosed.
Propane tanks with wooden lattice enclosures or other flammable materials within 10 feet in all directions.
Overhanging tree limbs: Are there trees on your property with limbs stretching out over the road? If so, please hire a tree service to take them down. Imagine firefighters and residents trying to drive a road with trees on fire overhead. For a list of tree service contractors approved by the Fire Safe Council click here. Jon Scadden recommends Tom Roth at (530) 263 4345.
Wildlife alert: While you are diligently removing and trimming trees, be aware of bird and small mammal nests. If you find injured or displaced wildlife, the nonprofit Wildlife Rehabilitation and Release can help. For more information, go to their website or call their hotline at (530) 432-5522.
Landscape plans: If you plan to hire a landscape professional, be sure she/he is fully versed in California’s Public Resources Code PRC 4291 and Nevada County’s Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Ordinance. You can find both here. When in doubt, get a second opinion.
To maintain our Firewise Community status we are required to submit a report annually with hours and money spent on fire protection work in our neighborhood - including on private properties. We do not need exact numbers; rough estimates are fine. We do not need receipts.
Please keep a simple list month by month and email it to Karen Pridemore, karenvpridemore@gmail.com. For a worksheet to log your hours and expenses and examples of eligible activities, click here.
Reflective address signs are important for firefighters, law enforcement, EMTs and other emergency teams to find you through smoke or dark of night. The Fire Safe Council has these for sale. A one-sided sign costs $35 and a two-sided sign costs $40. We recommend a two-sided sign so your address can be clearly seen coming from either direction of your street. To order, click here or call (530) 272-1122
This year’s six-week Green Waste Program was a fantastic success. Final numbers have not yet been released but we know that about 100 volunteers collected more than 9,000 loads at four different dropoff sites. In addition, the number of tons of mulch given out to residents more than doubled last year’s number.
Be well, be safe!
Your Firewise Committee,
Lauren Drutz, Lynn Forbes, Karen Pridemore, Trent Pridemore, Emily Sweeney, Jim Walters