A project brought to you by The Nevada City Fire Safety Advisory Council
There is little need to stress how important reducing the fuel load in surrounding forests and neighborhoods is to the safety and wellbeing of Nevada City citizens. The unprecedented fires in California, particularly this year, hit close to home with the Jones Fire last August, the ultimate Cautionary Tale.
The Sierra Fund is supporting Nevada City in the process of creating a list of its “City Slivers,” small bits of land in town that often do not have parcel numbers and that require maintenance in order to meet fire safety standards.
The Nevada City Sliver Project goals include; prioritizing the City Slivers for fuels treatment, getting the properties professionally treated, and then having follow-up maintenance be a part of a community “adopt-a-sliver program.” Thus far, the City has identified four properties that are ready for maintenance and that have community members that have indicated that they would like to maintain the property following professional treatment. The City plans to develop an agreement for “adoption” and hopes to extend this program to encompass more City Sliver properties.
The City is in need of community support to pay for professional treatments of these properties. The City applied for a Wildland Urban Interface grant from the State but it required a 50:50 match. Please help make our historic town stafe by contributing today.
The information about what parcels are treated, adopted, and which are open for adoption will be posted on the City website in an interactive GIS map feature. The map will indicate the parcel location, when treatments were last performed, and who has adopted the parcel. The City hopes that this will add to transparency with the community about what parcels are in line for treatment, what parcels are open for adoption, and which ones need attention.
The Nevada City Fire Safety Advisory Committee
City staff, fire and police departments, as well as city council members realize how important it is that to take proactive steps for decreasing fuel load NOW. The City of Nevada City Council appointed members to serve as the Nevada City Fire Safety Advisory Committee in the Spring of 2020.
The charter of the Committee is to promote public fire safety and community involvement to protect Nevada City residents, business owners, visitors, and structures from wildfire, establish objectives to support overall vegetation management and wildfire mitigation, identify funding sources, and promote public education and awareness. The Committee is made up of the City Council Chair, The Nevada City Division Fire Chief, Fire Wise Community members for surrounding neighborhoods including the Greater Champion, Willow Valley, Deer Creek South Side, and Greater Cement Hill Neighborhoods, as well as a facilitator and a non-profit partner, The Sierra Fund. The Committee has identified high priority projects for the City to conduct fuels treatment work on; these include the Drummond Street Extension Sliver, Monroe Street Sliver, Pine Street Sliver, and the Jordan Street Sliver.
Any funds raised above the grant match will be put toward future City Sliver projects.