April 2025 Newsletter
Hello Neighbors…
April and May are prime time for working on defensible space—both on your property and on private roads shared with your neighbors. Not too hot (for the most part) and not too cold or wet (for the most part).
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This month we have news and reminders—mostly related to defensible space work. Next month we shift our focus to emergency preparedness—evacuation, go bags, important papers, knowing your zone, and more.
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Stay tuned and keep up the good work on defensible space and home hardening! And don’t forget to log your time and expenses here, to help us keep our NFPA recognition (and FAIR Plan discount).
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Burning
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Permit Season starts May 1. As of 8 a.m. on May 1, you will need a permit to burn on your property. The permit is free and you can get it on line. The end of burn season varies depending on weather. Meanwhile, get your permit if you want to burn and always check burn day status before lighting up. (Note that broadcast burning permits have a different application process and will require a site visit by CALFIRE.)
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Free Pile Burning Workshops. These free, hands-on workshops on April 26 and May 3 are led by Jo Ann Fites-Kaufman, a local fire expert and certified California Burn Boss. You’ll learn (or review) about preparing a safe burn pile, how to minimize smoke and prevent escapes, what permits are required and when. Basically, how to burn safely, legally, and responsibly! If you read YubaNet you know that escaped burn piles are a regular occurrence around here. Even if you’ve been burning for years, you may learn something that helps you keep us all safer.
Green Waste Disposal
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Free Green Waste Drop Off. This year’s free green waste drop off events will be held on five consecutive Mondays from April 28 through May 26 (Memorial Day) from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the McCourtney Rd. Transfer Station. Please see the County's website for additional information.
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Free Neighborhood Green Waste Bins. The County is once again providing a limited number of large dumpsters/bins for neighborhoods to collectively dispose of organic material from their properties or shared roads. If you are interested in scheduling a bin, contact your Section Rep or me (whoever you got this newsletter from). More details:
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The bin will be dropped off on a Friday and picked up the following Monday morning.
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Unlike last year, there is no scheduling tool—your Greenhorn Firewise rep will contact the county and find out available weekends once you’ve expressed interest. So you’ll need to have some flexibility.
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You will need to have a location for the bin that is accessible for the truck to drop off and pick up, and for neighbors to drop off material.
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There are restrictions for what can go in the bin—similar to the restrictions on green waste material going to the transfer station.
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Ideally you want to be able to fill the bin, so you’ll need to talk to your neighbors and/or schedule a neighborhood work party. A great time to work on the required clearances for private roads.
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Events and Other News
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Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition. A new public benefit organization, the Fire Safe Nevada County Coalition (FSNCC), has been formed to strengthen community wildfire preparedness and resilience. The FSNCC is volunteer-driven and dedicated to empowering and supporting residents, neighborhoods, and communities–especially Firewise communities–through mentoring, sharing best practices, fire safety projects, and education to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires.
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Free Health/Safety & Fire Preparedness Carnival. The 20th anniversary of this event will be held on June 7, from 11-4, at the Rood Government Center. Gold Country Kiwanis, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services and the Fire Safe Council will be hosting this free event. More details next month.