Frequently Asked Questions

You can learn more about burn piles and watch a video from CAL FIRE here https://www.mynevadacounty.com/2753/Burn-Piles. Additionally, here are a few sites that can help you learn about prescribed burns.

http://www.norcalrxfirecouncil.org/

http://www.areyoufiresafe.com/get-fire-smart/prescribed-burns/  

http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Prescribed-Fires/

The Northern Sierra Air Management District posts this information on their website here:  http://myairdistrict.com/index.php/burning-info/burn-day-status/

Burn days are only allowed when the smoke from your burn pile will properly dissipate and not pose a health issue to your neighbors and the larger community.  As such, it could be a cloudy damp day, but not have the other proper conditions to dissipate the smoke.

Our local homeless population challenges are complex and multi-faceted with many good organizations working hard to address them.   These groups along with the human service, law, and fire agencies monitor homeless camps as much as possible and talk with the homeless population about wildfire safety and risks.

Since 1989, the County has implemented and operated a local defensible space inspection (DSI) program.  This program works closely and coordinates with CAL FIRE’s DSI program and local staff.  This year, the County took a further step and partnered with Nevada County Consolidated Fire District (NCC), contracting with NCC to provide DSI program management, development, and daily supervision services, all targeted to increase the effectiveness and impact of the County DSI program.  To further support the DSI program and increase its impact, the County created and adopted a Hazardous Vegetation abatement ordinance.  The ordinance was updated this past spring with increased fine and fees to assist with motivating property owners to perform their vegetation mitigation.  This Spring also saw the first full abatement process completed on a local residential property.