Placer County residents must understand the threat of wildfire to our foothill and mountain communities. This region has a history of forest fires, but for decades we have put fires out as quickly as possible, which has allowed brush and small trees to thrive — and build up enormous amounts of dense vegetation.

The Placer County Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan (2005) states that "ongoing vegetation management is THE most important factor in reducing the wildfire hazard in Placer County."

The plan continues, "Vegetation management projects will result in ongoing fuels/vegetation reduction and management on public and private lands; implementation and enforcement of defensible space requirements on private land for both existing properties and new development; and development of criteria for on-going maintenance of the fuels management and defensible space program."

Fuel hazards are high to very high from the southernmost part through the eastern part of Placer County.

Map of fire fuel hazard, Placer County
(Click image to see larger view)

Communities at risk in Placer County (located near federal lands):

Alta
Auburn
Baxter
Big Bend
Bowman
Cape Horn
Colfax
Dollar Point

Donner
Dutch Flat
Emigrant Gap
Foresthill
Gold Run
Heather Glen-Applegate
Iowa Hill
Kings Beach

Newcastle
North Auburn
Squaw Valley
Sunnyside-Tahoe City
Tahoe Vista
Twin Pines-Weimar

More about the problem in Placer County:

Placer County Local Hazards Mitigation Plan
Nevada-Yuba-Placer Fire Management Plan (PDF*, 5 MB)
Fire Safe Council Maps
The Colfax Area (PDF*, 17.7 MB)

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