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South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

A multi-phase, landscape-scale fuel reduction effort on the north rim of the South Yuba River canyon to reduce wildfire risk, improve evacuation routes, and build ecological resilience.

At a glance

Phase 1 planning area
~7,320 acres
Phase 2 total implementation
~1,032 acres
Phase 2 FEMA/CalOES funding
~$3.77M (~800 acres)
Phase 2 CAL FIRE funding
$950K (232 acres)
BLM planning (SNC-funded)
~1,800 acres
Status
Active — Phase 2 Implementation

Map

Phase 2 FEMA Implementation Map

This map spotlights the treatment units prioritized for Phase 2 implementation, funded through FEMA. Other parts of the planning area will be planned and treated as part of future phases of the project.

Partners

Yuba Watershed Institute
Nevada County OES
FEMA
California Office of Emergency Services
Bureau of Land Management
Sierra Nevada Conservancy
CAL FIRE

Phase 2 brings landscape-scale fuel break construction to the most vulnerable corridors along the South Yuba Rim — protecting evacuation routes, critical infrastructure, and hundreds of structures in communities like Alta Sierra, Lake Wildwood, and Penn Valley. Two complementary funding sources are driving Phase 2 forward simultaneously.

Phase 2 — FEMA/CalOES (~800 acres)

  • Approximately 800 acres of strategic fuel break work funded through a FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant (~$3.77M) administered by Nevada County OES and Cal OES.
  • Treatments focus on primary and secondary evacuation routes, creating shaded fuel breaks that reduce fire intensity and improve firefighter access.
  • Implementation pending final FEMA grant review and approval.

Phase 2 — CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant (232 acres)

Funding: $949,999.97 — CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant, Agreement #5GG25128

  • 97 acres of mechanical mastication targeting dense shrubs, small trees, and surface fuels along priority fuel break corridors.
  • 135 acres of hand thinning and pile burning in steep terrain and areas requiring precision treatment to protect sensitive resources.
  • Protects 418 structures, the Pine Grove Reservoir (a critical community water supply), and a PG&E transmission line serving the region.
  • Timeline: Biological and resource surveys in spring 2026; fuel break treatments from fall 2026 through 2028.

Phase 3 — BLM Planning (SNC-funded, ~1,800 acres)

  • Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) funding supports collaborative planning with BLM for an additional ~1,800 acres of federal lands within the broader project area.
  • Planning work includes environmental surveys, NEPA compliance, and project design to set the stage for future implementation funding.

Milestones

  • Phase 1 community planning completed — ~7,320 acres assessed and prioritized for treatment.
  • CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant awarded — $950K for 232 acres of Phase 2 fuel breaks (Agreement #5GG25128, awarded 2025).
  • SNC-funded BLM planning underway for ~1,800 additional acres on federal lands.
  • FEMA/CalOES Phase 2 grant (~$3.77M, ~800 acres) pending final review and approval.

Photo Gallery

For more background and updates, visit the original project page.