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May, 2026
Placer County is preparing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan and we want to hear from you.
We are seeking input from community members and other interested parties.
Take our Community Wildfire Survey and our Wildfire Resilience Project Survey until May 31, and register for an upcoming Community Workshop!
In-Person Community Workshop
Placer County Fire Safe Alliance Meeting
May 21 at 6 p.m.
11434 B Ave. Auburn, Health and Human Services Center Cordova Room
Virtual Community Workshop
May 27 at 6 p.m.
Take our surveys and register for a workshop:
https://engage.placer.ca.gov/cwpp
When a wildfire takes a home, it's usually not a wall of flame that does it. It's a single ember, sometimes carried for miles, landing on a pile of pine needles, landing between boards in a wood deck, or finding its way into an unscreened attic vent. That was the point of our latest visit with Steve Garcia, Unit Forester for CAL FIRE's Nevada-Yuba-Placer unit, who walked us around the Wildland Urban Interface demonstration site at the Gold Country Fairgrounds in Auburn. The site is built specifically to show homeowners what hardening looks like in practice.
A few highlights from the tour:
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Roofs need to be Class A-rated and fully sealed — concrete tile, metal, or composite shingle — with no gaps where an ember could land on something flammable.
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Vents are one of the highest-leverage upgrades. Steve showed three styles, including mesh vents and soffit vents painted with intumescent coatings that swell shut when an ember hits. He even held up a vent that had been fire-tested — clear proof of the design.
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Dual-pane tempered glass windows and ignition-resistant siding (stucco, fiber cement) keep heat and embers from breaching the envelope.
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Decks need attention above and below - Fire-rated decking materials char rather than ignite, but no product helps if pine needles are piled underneath.
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Defensible space is a three-zone system: Zone 0 (0–5 ft, fully non-combustible), Zone 1 (5–30 ft, reduced fuel), and Zone 2 (30–100 ft, ongoing maintenance).
Steve's closing line is worth holding onto: "When it comes to defensible space, it's never a one-and-done." Watch the full interview
Learn how to prep an emergency go-bag at these special workshops for adults presented by the Placer County Sheriff's Office. Participants will be entered into a raffle drawing for an emergency kit backpack. Register for a workshop at www.placer.libcal.com.
Workshop Details
Auburn - Monday, May 18 at 5:30 pm at the Placer County Health and Human Services Conference Center, 11434 B Ave, Auburn
Colfax - Thursday, May 14 at 5:30 pm at the Colfax Veteran's Memorial Hall, 22 Sunset Circle, Colfax
Foresthill - Saturday, May 9 at 10 am at the Foresthill Library, 24580 Main Street, Foresthill
Join us for special Firefighter Storytimes featuring stories, songs, and special guests from your local fire departments! For ages 3-5 and their families. No registration required.
Auburn Modified Service Auburn Modified Service - Monday, May 11 at 9:30 am
Colfax Library - Friday, May 8 at 9:30 am
Foresthill Library - Thursday, May 28 at 10:30 am
Granite Bay Library - Friday, May 29 at 9:30 am
Kings Beach Library - Tuesday, May 5 at 10:30 am
Rocklin Library - Wednesday, May 6 at 9:30 am
Tahoe City Library - Thursday, May 7 at 10:30 am
Prescribed fire (both pile burning and broadcast burning) is an essential tool used to manage wildfire risks and restore forest health. Placer RCD is dedicated to returning fire to the landscape through education, collaboration, and action with the Placer Prescribed Burn Association.
Landowners and community members are encouraged to attend our workshops, training burns, and other events focused on improving fire literacy and safely using low-complexity prescribed fire.
To learn more, contact Will Tupen at will@placerrcd.org or visit our website at https://placerrcd.org/programs/prescribedfireprogram/.
By Katie Low, Statewide Coordinator - UC ANR Fire Network
Mulch can play an important role in your landscaping; however, using mulch can also introduce a new type of combustible material into your landscape. There are three types of mulch: organic, inorganic, and synthetic. Organic and synthetic mulches are combustible, while inorganic mulches are not.
It is important to understand the combustion characteristics of different types of mulches. For example, mulches with smaller particles can quickly dry out and easily ignite, while compacted mulches can have lower oxygen content and therefore can be less ignitable. Generally, higher moisture content from frequent irrigation can decrease ignitability.
When it comes to defensible space, consider the risks associated with applying mulch near the home. Reducing the continuity of combustible materials is key. Below is a list of recommended actions to take in each defensible space zone:
- Zone Zero (0- 5 ft): having noncombustible, ignition-resistant areas next to the home is critical for protection. Combustible mulches are not recommended for use within five feet of the house.
- Recommended materials: concrete, gravel, noncombustible rock mulches, and pavers.
- Zone One (5-30 ft): Combustible mulches should not be applied in a widespread or continuous manner. Create separation between areas of combustible mulch using noncombustible materials.
- Recommended materials: composted wood chips, concrete, gravel, medium-sized bark chips (1-3 inches in diameter), noncombustible rock mulches, and pavers.
- Zone Two (30-100 + ft): Limit the depth of combustible mulches to 4 inches to reduce the likelihood of hazardous combustion characteristics.
- Recommended materials: composted wood chips, concrete, gravel, medium-sized bark chips (1-3 inches in diameter), noncombustible rock mulches, pavers, pine needles, shredded cedar or redwood bark, and shredded rubber.
As you continue to prepare your homes and your landscapes before fire season, visit https://ucanr.edu/program/uc-anr-fire-network/mulch to learn more about how to integrate mulch into your defensible space landscaping
Are you wondering how you can prepare yourself and your property for this upcoming wildfire season? If so, you are invited to learn about simple, low-cost actions that you can do to protect your house and property from future fire exposures.
UC Cooperative Extension, the City of Auburn Fire Department, and the Grand Oaks HOA Firewise Community are hosting a free Wildfire Preparedness Walking Tour in Auburn.This tour is intended for homeowners, renters, and interested Placer County residents.
Instructors from UC Cooperative Extension and the UC ANR Fire Network will offer science-based solutions for home construction, design, and maintenance and provide an opportunity for shared, experiential learning.
Representatives from the City of Auburn Fire Department and Placer County Office of Emergency Services will also share wildfire-related community resources available to Placer County residents.
Date and Time: Tuesday, May 5, from 5:30 –7:30 p.m.
Location: Grand Oaks HOA, Auburn
Cost: Free
Register by May 4: https://forms.gle/rRCVZdg82Fm6gCRJ6
For questions, contact Katie Low (katlow@ucanr.edu).
Wildfire affects all of us. Placer County is developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to identify strategies for reducing wildfire risk and increasing community resilience.
- Takes Less than 15 minutes
- Anonymous and confidential
- Helps guide future wildfire mitigation projects
Your voice matters. Take the survey and help shape the future of wildfire safety in Placer County. Take the survey
Join Firewise Community Virtual Office Hours via Zoom on the first Thursday of every month, 9 to 10:30 a.m. Join the Zoom meeting
For more information regarding the Firewise Program, visit www.placer.ca.gov/Firewise or contact fireready@placer.ca.gov, or call 530-886-FIRE (3473).
Wildfire Preparedness Walking Tour, May 5, 5:30 p.m. Information
Emergency Preparedness Workshop, Foresthill Library, May 9, 10:00 a.m. Information
Emergency Preparedness Workshop, Colfax Veterans Memorial Hall, May 14 at 5:30 p.m. Information
Emergency Preparedness Workshop - Health and Human Services Center, Auburn May 18, 5:30 p.m. Information
Pioneer Day, June 7, 10:00 a.m., Information
Placer West Fire Safe Council Meeting, May 6, 5:30 p.m. Information
Virtual Office Hours - Firewise USA Program, May 7, 9-10:30 a.m. Information
Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council Meeting, May 15, 9 a.m. Information
Foresthill / Iowa Hill Fire Safe Council Meeting, May 19, 5:30 p.m. Information
Placer County Fire Safe Alliance Meeting, May 21, 6:00 p.m. Information
North Auburn Ophir Fire Safe Council Meeting, May 26, 4 p.m. Information
Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council Meeting, May 28, 6 p.m. Information
Placer West Fire Safe Council Meeting, June 3, 5:30 p.m. Information
Virtual Office Hours - Firewise USA Program, June 4, 9-10:30 a.m. Information
Foresthill / Iowa Hill Fire Safe Council Meeting, June 16, 5:30 p.m. Information
Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council Meeting, June 19, 9 a.m. Information
North Auburn Ophir Fire Safe Council Meeting, June 23, 4 p.m. Information
Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council Meeting, June 25, 6 p.m. Information
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