Critical Evacuation Route and Hazardous Vegetation Removal

Background

As a product of the Roadmap to Resilience, the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) developed core planning documents to collaboratively identify hazards and define actionable priorities throughout the county. As a result, the 2025 Community Wildfire Protection Plan, 2024 Evacuation Study, and the 2024 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan all highlight the importance of improving evacuation routes to support public safety.

Nearly 2,240 miles of road in Nevada County are privately owned, many of which are narrow, unpaved, and bordered with overgrown vegetation. These conditions can create extraordinarily perilous situations during wildfire events, potentially risking the lives of citizens and first responders. 

The intent of the Critical Evacuation Roadside Hazardous Fuel Vegetation Removal Program is to improve evacuation routes with a focus on private roadways thereby facilitate efficient and safe ingress/egress in the event of a wildfire. This will have a two-fold benefit to community members: (1) residents will be able to evacuate more efficiently in the event of a wildfire, decreasing the probability of entrapment, injury, or death, and (2) first responders and fire suppression personnel will be able to more efficiently enter an affected area to assist in evacuations and conduct wildfire suppression activities.

Applicant Eligibility

This program is being offered to organized, community-based groups such as Firewise communities, road associations, HOAs, local agencies, Tribal groups, schools, and non-profit entities. Preference will be given to privately maintained roads. Only one application will be accepted per organization/entity. Total estimated project costs must be between $20,000 and $120,000.

Project Eligibility

Projects must meet all of the following criteria to be considered eligible:

• Located within the County of Nevada
• Must not be located on federal land
• Must result in a marked improvement of safety for emergency ingress/egress through the reduction of hazardous roadside vegetation