Greater Cement Hill
Community Wildfire Action Plan 2024-2026
March 2024
Download 2024-2026 Action Plan
Description of Community
The Greater Cement Hill Firewise community is located in unincorporated Nevada County adjacent to Nevada City and has approximately 600 parcels; 452 parcels have dwellings, for a total of 509 dwellings including ADU. We are a heavily wooded rural mountainside community, with over 1300’ elevation change, and border the South Yuba River Canyon and 7 miles of Highway 49, a major evacuation route for many communities. The South Yuba River State Park is heavily used during summer months, which is a concern because if a fire starts there it will likely go uphill into the Greater Cement Hill rural community area.
YEAR 1 – 2024
Education and Outreach Goals
1. Have a Firewise committee member attend all Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities and OES Office hours meetings and report back to committee
2. Send educational emails to community members as needed, supporting knowledge of home hardening, defensible space/fuels reduction, and evacuation planning
3. Give firewise report at each GCHNA bimonthly meeting
4. Have an invited speaker at GCHNA meeting to address Firewise concerns
5. Have Firewise article in each GCHNA newsletter
6. Maintain GCHNA website with updated fire safe resources
Home Hardening Goals
1. Provide all GCHNA members with copy of home hardening recommendations from CAL FIRE: “Low Cost Retrofit List – Low Cost Ways to Harden Your Home”
2. Emphasize removing leaf/pine needle litter from roofs and gutters
3. Emphasize fire-safe skirting around decking or raised flooring, using fire-resistent materials or 1/8” metal mesh screening
Defensible Space / Fuel Reduction Goals
1. Encourage members to have a defensible space evaluation
2. Encourage members to use free chipping program and green waste disposal
3. Meet with Nevada City representative to discuss concerns about city properties requiring maintenance
4. Encourage applications for microgrants for defensible space clearing
Evacuation Planning (Ex. Preparedness & Routing) and Wildfire Preparedness
1. Invite Sheriff’s department to speak about evacuation
2. Have scotch broom pull on Indian Flat to keep evacuation road clear
3. Meet with county supervisor to discuss possibility of improvement of Excelsior Ditch as an evacuation route
4. For new residents: provide packets which include evacuation zones, routes, ‘Pack your Go Bag’, Evacuation Order Checklist
5. Education ‘situational awareness’ during red flag days. Recommend to evacuate early due to probable congestion on highway 49
YEAR 2 – 2025
Education and Outreach Goals
1. Have a Firewise committee member attend all Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities and OES Office hours meetings and report back to committee
2. Send educational emails to community members as needed, supporting knowledge of home hardening, defensible space/fuels reduction, and evacuation planning
3. Give firewise committee report at each GCHNA bimonthly meeting
4. Have an invited speaker at GCHNA meeting to address Firewise concerns
5. Have Firewise article in each GCHNA newsletter
6. Maintain GCHNA website with updated fire safe resources
Home Hardening Goals
1. Seek presenter for GCHNA community meeting to discuss landscaping options to reduce fire risk, or other home hardening topic.
2. Provide new GCHNA members with copy of home hardening recommendations from CAL FIRE: “Low Cost Retrofit List – Low Cost Ways to Harden Your Home”
3. Education topics to emphasize: how to prevent ember intrusions, and 0-5’ zone: hardscaping, removing mulch, removing vegetation >12” from under windows or against siding
Defensible Space / Fuel Reduction Goals
1. Encourage use of free chipping and residential green waste disposal to remove downed plants/trees from property
2. Encourage vegetation spacing to break up continuity in 5-30’ zone
Evacuation Planning (Ex. Preparedness & Routing) and Wildfire Preparedness
1. Educate importance of reflective address signs and availability through Firesafe Council
2. For new residents: provide packets which include evacuation zones, routes, ‘Pack your Go Bag’, Evacuation Order Checklist
3. Know your zone and test drive multiple routes of egress
YEAR 3 – 2026
Education and Outreach Goals
1. Have a Firewise committee member attend all Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities and OES Office hours meetings and report back to committee
2. Send educational emails to community members as needed, supporting knowledge of home hardening, defensible space/fuels reduction, and evacuation planning
3. Give firewise committee report at each GCHNA bimonthly meeting
4. Have an invited speaker at GCHNA meeting to address Firewise concerns
5. Have Firewise article in each GCHNA newsletter
6. Maintain GCHNA website with updated fire safe resources
Home Hardening Goals
1. Review the CA department of Insurance program “Safer From Wildfires”
2. Provide new GCHNA members with copy of home hardening recommendations from CAL FIRE: “Low Cost Retrofit List – Low Cost Ways to Harden Your Home”
Defensible Space / Fuel Reduction Goals
1. Encourage use of free chipping and residential green waste disposal to remove downed plants/trees from property
Evacuation Planning (Ex. Preparedness & Routing) and Wildfire Preparedness
1. For new residents: provide packets which include evacuation zones, routes, ‘Pack your Go Bag’, Evacuation Order Checklist
2. Encourage members to evacuate early due to likely congestion on highway 49, and immediately if high-low sirens are heard
3. Share how to access information on red flag days to stay informed of fire risk
4. Inspect all evacuation routes to ensure safe egress standards
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PREVIOUS 3-YEAR ACTION PLAN FOR 2021 TO 2023
2021
The Greater Cement Hill Neighborhood Association will maintain a Firewise Committee of at least three members to coordinate fire prevention activities and communicate current information on local fire risks, best practices for fire prevention and emergency evacuation procedures.
Fire Risk Reduction Actions
- Conduct one community fuel reduction workday to improve fire-safe road clearance. A workday organized at the Old Airport property in April fulfills this requirement.
- Work with representatives from Nevada County, Nevada City, including the Nevada City Fire Safety Advisory Committee, the Bear Yuba Land Trust, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to reduce fuels and fire risk in Open Space areas and along exit roads.
- Encourage neighbors to utilize Defensible Space Advisory Visits to assess their properties, learn methods to mitigate fuel risks and increase defensible space compliance.
- Investigate the process with the County and property owners to install emergency evacuation signage at the northwest end of Cement Hill Road to clarify the exit to Cedarsong Road.
Communication and Education
- Conduct an annual meeting to educate homeowners on fire risk reduction efforts, evacuation options and to gain support for achieving shared goals. Schedule in September and invite a guest speaker from Cal Fire, the Coalition of Firewise Communities, or the FireSafe Council.
- Publish fire safety articles in our periodic neighborhood newsletter. Educational materials include defensible space information, “First Five Feet Matter”, home hardening options, meeting schedules, participation opportunities, and our Household Fire Risk Mitigation form to track work.
- Provide links on our website and in the newsletters to critical fire information websites.
- Encourage members to sign up for CodeRED. Inform members about the Ready Nevada County Dashboard, the Hi-Low siren system, and the Zone Haven Tool.
- Maintain a current roster of neighborhood association members and non-member residents in the Greater Cement Hill area. Use the website, emails, and newsletters to communicate neighborhood fire safety activities, emergency alerts and other fire safety reminders.
- Enhance our method for community members to report mitigation efforts with an online option or through road reps.
- Create a plan to reach out to new homeowners and to increase association membership.
- Solicit ideas from road representatives on ways to mitigate fire risk particular to their roads and enhance communication among close neighbors in the event of a local fire.