South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

What

The South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project is an approximately 6,000-acre landscape-level fuel reduction project on the San Juan Ridge in Nevada County, aimed at reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire through strategic fuel reduction activities. It is intended to limit wildfire spread, protect communities and essential infrastructure, and enhance the ecological resilience of the area to better withstand and recover from wildfire events. This project is the culmination of many years of coordination and advocacy of community leaders, Firewise Communities, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), CAL FIRE, and the Yuba Watershed Institute (YWI).

Funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), the project will be implemented at no cost to private landowners. The County of Nevada has secured funding to begin the first step in this multi-year project. Phase 1, Planning, consists of scoping the project area, conducting community outreach and engagement, identifying appropriate treatment design, and conducting environmental and cultural review. Upon completion of this planning effort, the community will have an approximately 800-acre “shovel-ready” project.

Where

Located along the north rim of the South Yuba River canyon, the project extends 17 miles from South Yuba River State Park at Bridgeport to Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. By linking this project with previous fuel reduction work on surrounding state, federal, and private lands, it provides a strategic and comprehensive approach to reducing wildfire risk. Existing projects that will tie together with the South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project include the YWI and BLM’s ‘Inimim Forest Restoration Project, prescribed fire and forest management activities at Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, and CAL FIRE’s fuels treatments along the Montezuma Ridge Fuel Break and in the Reader Ranch area.

Multi-phased Project

Due to the complexity of this project, this will be a two-phase multi-year effort. Phase 1 is dedicated to planning and securing environmental compliance, including plant, wildlife, and cultural surveys, with activities scheduled to continue through June 2025. Phase 2 is anticipated to commence as early as 2026 and will focus on implementing 800 acres of the fuel reduction treatments outlined and prepared in Phase 1.

Complementary Efforts on Adjacent BLM Lands

In conjunction with the primary South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project on private lands, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy is funding planning for an additional 1,800 acres of fuel reduction treatments on adjacent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. This extension includes essential botanical, cultural resources, and wildlife surveys to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before the treatments can proceed. By incorporating these federal lands, the project significantly broadens its scope and effectiveness, enhancing wildfire mitigation efforts. This comprehensive all-lands approach ensures a cohesive strategy across different jurisdictions, thereby bolstering protection for San Juan Ridge and the wider Nevada County area.

Impact

Creating a landscape-scale swath of healthy, thinned, wildfire-resilient vegetation across the rugged South Yuba Rim will guard against the uncontrolled spread of future wildfires that will ultimately save lives. More than 98% of Nevada County residents living in the State Responsibility Area are considered to live in high to very high fire severity zones. Nevada City and Grass Valley have been identified by CAL FIRE as the second and fourth highest priority target areas for Vegetation Management/Fuels Modification Projects in the Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit.

South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

What

Where