My April newsletter included a link to information on the success of Placer County’s Firewise Communities program. Firewise Communities are locally-led organizations that help neighborhoods work together to reduce wildfire risk in their communities. Placer County has 62 official Firewise Communities, the second highest number in California, and we are in the process of forming many more.

Each year the fire season in California is starting earlier and ending later. The length of the fire season is estimated to have increased by 75 days across the Sierra, including the majority of Placer County.

 Building on the success of the Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council under the leadership of former Auburn Mayor Kevin Hanley and Auburn City Councilmember Daniel Berlant, Supervisor Cindy Gustafson and I have recently formed the North Auburn Ophir Firesafe Council. I am also happy to share that Supervisor Suzanne Jones and I are in the beginning stages of forming a South Placer Firesafe Council that will be made up of members of the communities of Loomis and Granite Bay.

These two Firesafe Councils will lead to the formation of several more Firewise Communities that will bring neighbors together to work for the common goal of fire prevention.

Additionally, on April 21, 2020 the Board of Supervisors approved the Hazardous Vegetation and Combustible Material Abatement Ordinance update. Among other abatement requirements, the ordinance requires the maintenance of 100 feet of defensible space around all buildings and structures and specifies the location for property address posting for faster access by emergency response personnel.

Early removal and maintenance of non-compliant vegetation and brush, and other fire hazards within defensible space zones is your best defense. I encourage you to learn more about Firewise Communities in Placer County and find out if one has been established in your neighborhood. I also recommend that you take some time to read the Hazardous Vegetation and Combustible Material Abatement Ordinance to make sure your property is in compliance, and to help reduce the risks of wildfire in our communities. You can visit the Placer County Air Pollution Control District website at placerair.org to locate your local fire district for a defensible space inspection, and visit the links below for more information on how to prepare for and reduce the risk of wildfire:

Firewise Community Program

Placer County Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Program

CalFire Wildfire Prevention Information

Placer County Resource Conservation District Cost Share Programs

If we all work together we can help make Placer County fire safe!

Warm Regards,

Supervisor Jim Holmes

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