On Target

Hazard Mitigation

Office of Emergency Services 2022

Description

Through identifying risks and vulnerabilities common to Nevada County, developing long-term strategies and collaboratively seeking funds to address these threats, OES works to reduce all hazards in Nevada County, with a specific focus on wildfire.

County of Nevada OES has identified grant attainment, affordable residential green waste disposal, and the Defensible Space Program as areas of concentration for mitigation in 2022.

Progress Update

Q4-22

Grants in the last quarter (Oct-Dec 2022);

  • OES issued a Notice to Proceed to Fire Safe Council of Nevada County to begin implementation work on the South County Shaded Fuel Break project funded by CAL FIRE. OES additionally collaborated on a Community Town Hall for this project.
  • OES continued work for two Phase 1 Federal Emergency Management Agency Access and Function Needs (AFN) defensible space grants totaling $1.3 million dollars.
  • OES was awarded FEMA funds for the $150,000 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Project.
  • OES learned that our $750,000 Fiscal Year 23 Congressionally Directed Spending request for the Ponderosa West Grass Valley Defense Zone Phase 1 Maintenance Project was funded.
  • OES learned that our Prepare California Match proposal to Cal OES was funded. This will provide $1,060,209 in match funds to the South Yuba Rim project (overall project budget is $4.2 million an dis pending approval from FEMA).
  • OES submitted two full proposals to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to satisfy the local match requirements for the Ponderosa Phase 1 Maintenance Project (matched against a FY23 earmark request) and the South Yuba Rim Shaded Fuel Break Project (matched against a FEMA HMGP proposal).
  • OES submitted a proposal to the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) update.
  • OES submitted a proposal to the California Fire Safe Council for Micro-Grants 2.0 for Firewise Communities.
  • OES submitted a FY24 Congressionally Directed Spending Request (CDS) for Evacuation Micro-Grants for Firewise Communities.
  • OES met with CAL FIRE to identify priority projects for the CAL FIRE Fire Prevention Grant Program.
  • OES met with Truckee Fire Protection District to collaborate around a multi-jurisdictional CAL FIRE Forest Health Grant Program proposal (TFPD will be the lead applicant; OES will assist in grant development).
  • OES satisfied a FEMA Request for Information for the Roadside Vegetation Abatement Project that included development of a Phase 1 request for funding to digitize County right-of-way on 300 miles of roadway.



  • OES drafted RFPs for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, the Evacuation Study, and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Defensible Space Updates: Q4

  • The Nevada County Defensible Space (DSI) Program opened 41 cases. 1 came into compliance on the first visit, 23 came into compliance after the notice to abate was sent, 14 came into compliance after a warning letter was sent, 0 after the first citation, 3 after the second citation and 3 after the third citation. 14 cases were complaint driven and 27 was a proactive case. This quarter the DSI program saw a 38% compliance rate and a 61% education rate*. 0 Cases were referred to the Code Compliance Department. These numbers are down over last quarter as this type of work is unsafe for residents during the peak of fire season.
  • *Educational Rate: The percent of complaint based and pro-active cases with hazardous vegetation violations that achieve compliance with the Nevada County Hazardous Vegetation Ordinance prior to being issued an administrative citation. The goal is 80%.
  • DSI staff has assisted FSC with qualifying property owners and completed 54 Access and Functional Needs Grant pre- and post-inspections for Phase 1 of the grant.
  • The DSI team conducted an online survey and sought stakeholder feedback for potential alterations to the Hazardous Vegetation Ordinance. The information gathered was summarized and culminated in a presentation to the Board of Supervisors where recommendations were made in December.

Roadside Vegetation:

  • This quarter County Public Works completed 5 miles of brushing and 0 miles of spraying with 5 miles of mowing. These reduced numbers were due to Public Works Staff working on new vegetation removal contracts as well as time spent reviewing work from the last quarter. The quarterly target is 63 miles of vegetation treatment along county roads. 

Green Waste:

  • The OES Team met with members of the Camptonville Bio Mass Project to better understand the costs, process and pitfalls of a community bio mass facility.


Next Steps

Q4-22

Grants: 

  • OES plans to submit proposals to the CAL FIRE Fire Prevention Grant Program.
  • OES will support Truckee Fire Protection District in submitting a multi-jurisdictional CAL FIRE Forest Health Grant Program proposal.
  • OES will contract with consultants to complete the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, the Evacuation Study, and the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
  • OES will identify priority project(s) to submit Notice of Intent for the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
  • OES will put out a Request for Qualifications (contracting requirement) for a consultant to satisfy environmental compliance for the Ponderosa Phase 2 fuel reduction Project.

Defensible Space Next Quarter: 

  • As part of Phase 1 deliverables, as resources permit the DSI staff will continue to complete 775 pre-inspections for Phase 2 FEMA qualification.
  • The DSI team is continuing to source additional feedback and has a goal of submitting final recommendations to the Board of Supervisors in February of 2023. 

Roadside Vegetation:

  • In the next quarter County roads will continue to seek funding and use existing funding to reduce roadside vegetation to continue making evacuation routes safer during this year’s fire season.

Green Waste:

  • In the upcoming quarter OES plans to work with the Nevada County Resource Conservation District to learn more about their efforts to support local resident prescribed burning as a way to reduce our local fuel load.



  • Next quarter the OES team will begin planning for the Spring 2023 Western & Eastern Nevada County Green Waste Events.

Chart

Combination chart with 5 data series.
DSI Inspection Program Case Status (Chart Type: Column) Plot Bands Q3-22 Cases Opened in Quarter: 62.00 In Compliance: 51.00 Cases with Citation: 12.00 Referred to Code: 2.00 Active Cases: 63.00 Q4-22 Cases Opened in Quarter: 42.00 In Compliance: 36.00 Cases with Citation: 8.00 Referred to Code: 0.00 Active Cases: 63.00 Q1-23 Cases Opened in Quarter: No Value In Compliance: No Value Cases with Citation: No Value Referred to Code: No Value Active Cases: No Value
The chart has 1 X axis displaying categories.
The chart has 1 Y axis displaying values. Range: 0 to 75.
End of interactive chart.

Measures

Not Defined
Roadside Vegetation Treatment
Office of Emergency Services 2022
On Target
DSI Inspection Program
Office of Emergency Services 2022

Objectives

Not Defined
Emergency Preparedness
Board of Supervisors 2021
On Target
Emergency Preparedness
Board of Supervisors 2023
On Target
Emergency Preparedness
Board of Supervisors 2022
On Target
Emergency Preparedness
Office of Emergency Services 2022