Yuba Watershed Institute Secures Over $2 Million for Wildfire Prevention across South Yuba Canyon

Yuba Watershed Institute (YWI) has secured two major state grants totaling over $2 million to reduce wildfire risk in the South Yuba River canyon region of Nevada County.

A $1,123,000 grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) will fund Phase 1 of the Round Mountain Landscape Resilience Project. A $950,000 grant from CAL FIRE, originally awarded in 2025 with the agreement signed in March 2026, will fund Phase 2 of the South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project.

Together, the projects will treat approximately 427 acres through mechanical mastication, hand thinning, chipping, biomass harvest, pile burning, and prescribed fire. Treatments are designed to reduce wildfire intensity and improve safety for surrounding communities, evacuation corridors, and critical infrastructure.

Round Mountain Landscape Resilience Project (Phase 1)

Funded by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, this phase will establish a 400-foot-wide shaded fuel break system along the ridgetop on the south rim of the South Yuba River canyon.

• 195 acres total
• 152 acres on BLM public land
• 43 acres of private land protected by a Bear Yuba Land Trust conservation easement

Project development included collaboration with BLM's Mother Lode Field Office, Bear Yuba Land Trust, local Firewise communities, and private landowners. Environmental review is complete, and implementation is expected to begin in fall 2026.

"The Round Mountain project is a key missing piece in long-term fire resilience planning along the south side of the South Yuba canyon," said Chris Friedel, Executive Director of Yuba Watershed Institute.

South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project (Phase 2)

Funded by CAL FIRE through the Wildfire Prevention Grants Program, this phase will treat 232 acres on private land near French Corral, Birchville, and North Columbia:

• 97 acres of mechanical mastication
• 135 acres of hand thinning, piling, and pile burning

This CAL FIRE-funded work complements a broader Phase 2 effort that includes approximately 800 additional acres funded by FEMA and Cal OES. Combined efforts are building a treatment network of more than 1,000 acres along the canyon's north rim.

Implementation is expected to begin in fall 2026, following required botanical and cultural resource surveys.

"This CAL FIRE award allows us to complete a critical set of fuel breaks that directly protect neighborhoods, evacuation routes, and infrastructure along the San Juan Ridge," Friedel added.

A Landscape-Scale Resilience Network

The Round Mountain and South Yuba Rim projects strengthen a growing, interconnected network of wildfire resilience work across the watershed, including ongoing efforts such as:

• Inimim Forest Restoration Project
• Hoyt-Purdon Prescribed Fire and Fuel Reduction Project
• Malakoff Diggins Prescribed Fire and Forest Management Program
• Sierra Foothill Forest Climate Resilience Project

What Happens Next

With agreements in place, YWI and partners will move into final preparation, including contractor procurement, project layout, seasonal compliance, and community outreach. Field implementation for both projects is expected to start in fall 2026 and continue on a multi-year timeline.

For media inquiries, contact Chris Friedel, Executive Director, at chris@yubawatershedinstitute.org.

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About California Climate Investments

The South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project Phase 2 is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Invest dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment—particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Invest program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California. For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website.

Funding for the South Yuba Rim project provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's (CAL FIRE) Wildfire Prevention Grants Program as part of the California Climate Investments Program.