Dear neighbors:
With our cold and wet weather right now it’s easy to fool ourselves that we are well away from the danger of wildfire. But this is the perfect time to get work done to keep your family and our neighborhood safe when the danger of fire is breathing down our necks.
Beetle epidemic
California’s drought of 2012-2016 killed millions of trees in the Sierra Nevada — mostly due to a bark beetle epidemic - leaving a canopy full of dry needles.
A recent study by UC-Davis and the U.S. Forest Service found that recently dead trees (and climate change) have severely exacerbated the severity of fire in California. The Firesafe Council suggests these winter fire safety tasks:
Check property for dead or bark beetle-infested trees.
Weather permitting, now is the best time to remove those trees and dense undergrowth.
Trim up trees for vertical clearance (15 feet from the ground) as part of your home’s defensible space. If not feasible in winter, then plan now to do so when weather permits.
If you’re planting trees this spring, plan ahead now and plant locally native trees.
Low-cost fire safety services
The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County now provides low-cost defensible space services. Crews are available to mow tall weeds and grasses, limb up trees to 15 feet above the ground, thin young saplings and trees up to 10 inches in diameter, clear brush within 100 feet of structures and remove leaves and pine needles. Chipping services are also available.
Jobs are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, and service is offered for a limited time. Click here to get a quote.
Schedule a free Defensible Space visit
We have three trained Defensible Space Advisors in our community. Schedule an appointment (socially distanced) with Lauren Drutz, (530) 559-5460, Karen Pridemore, (530) 274-8770 or Trent Pridemore, (530) 274-8770. They will walk your property and explain how to comply with defensible space laws and give you suggestions for best practices in wildfire preparedness and home hardening,
Notes from Fire Coalition meeting
During the February Fire Coalition meeting, CalFire Chief Jim Mathias highlighted these recent developments in fire safety for Nevada County:
Due to Covid-19, fewer inmates are currently available to help man fire crews. To solve this issue, a program tapping the California National Guard has been instituted.
A year-round fuels reduction crew of 9-12 people is now working in Nevada County.
Four Black Hawk helicopters are now in fire service, with four more expected this year.
Phase two of the Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone project is moving ahead. This stage of the project will focus on clearing evacuation routes in our area.
Keep track of your fire safety work hours and costs
In order to maintain our Firewise Community status, we are required to submit an annual report to the state with the money and hours spent on fire safety work performed on our properties. The response rate last year was OK, but we know the responses we received are just the tip of the iceberg of the hard work you have done.
Twenty-six out of 77 6B and Friends property owners submitted hours and money spent, a 34 percent response rate. A total of 5,834 hours worked and $305,000 spent were reported.
Our goal is to increase the rate of response this year.
It’s easy! Use this simple form to keep track of the hours and money you have spent or will spend between Nov. 1, 2020 and Oct. 31. 2021. You can estimate your hours, and receipts are not required. Send the form to Karen Pridemore at karenvpridemore@gmail.com. Bam! You’re done, Call Karen with any questions at (530) 274-8770.
Be safe!
Your Firewise Committee
Lauren Drutz, Lynn Forbes, Karen Pridemore, Trent Pridemore and Jim Walters