Casa Loma Firewise Community
(our goal is community safety)

The Casa Loma FWC Website is going away effective September 1, 2024.  We recommend going to the Nevada County Coalition of FireWise Communities website for current information on all things FireWise Community (see link below) or reach out to our Resident Leader, Sandie Hewston at CasaLomaFirewise@gmail.com.

Last updated:  08/23/2024

What are the private roadway clearance requirements associated with Nevada County’s Hazardous Vegetation Ordinance?

Private road owners are required to maintain free of ladder fuels a minimum of a ten (10’) foot wide strip of land beyond the shoulder of a roadway serving as primary ingress and egress to the parcel, to a height of fifteen (15’) feet along the boundary of a Parcel.

As a property owner in Nevada County, what is my responsibility regarding vegetation management on my land?

To dramatically increase the likelihood your home will survive a wildfire, to provide firefighter safety during a firestorm, and to aid in the protection of lives, the Nevada County Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Ordinance requires homeowners to maintain one-hundred (100’) feet of defensible space around all structures located on an improved parcel. Property owners are also responsible for maintaining defensible space along roadways which are necessary for the ingress and egress.

Click to read the full Hazardous Vegetation Abatement Ordinance.

What is Public Resources Code 4291?

Public Resources Code 4291 requires homeowners in Mountainous, Forest, Brush and Grass Covered lands to develop defensible space by removing ladder fuels within the first 100 feet of a structure, or to the property line. Defensible space creates a buffer between the home and oncoming fire, while providing a safer place for firefighters to combat the fire and defend your home.

What are the main differences between Nevada County’s Ordinance and Public Resources Code 4291?

The County’s ordinance encompasses all of the same regulations found in Public Resources Code  4291, but also addresses hazardous vegetation and combustible material abatement beyond the property line of a parcel on which a building and structure is located in order for property owners to achieve their 100 feet of defensible space.

The County’s ordinance also contains hazardous vegetation maintenance requirements for private roadways in the unincorporated areas of the County that are not included in Public Resources Code 4291.