Firewise USA provides a framework for neighbors to work together to reduce wildfire risk through actions such as creating defensible space, removing hazardous vegetation and hardening homes. Photo courtesy of Placer County

AUBURN, CA (MPG) - Placer County continues to lead the country with the highest number of designated Firewise USA communities and today celebrated a new milestone.

County and fire officials joined Granite Bay residents from the Mooney Ridge community to celebrate the addition of the 150th Firewise USA community. A commemorative sign was presented to neighborhood organizer Patrick Dwyer during a special ceremony this morning to mark the achievement, which comes just as the country moves into September’s National Preparedness Month.

“Reaching our 150th Firewise community is a true milestone, and it is a credit to the residents who have put in the work to make their neighborhoods safer,” said Placer County District 4 Supervisor Suzanne Jones. “This sign is a symbol of what can happen when neighbors come together and take action. Each community that participates helps strengthen wildfire preparedness across Placer County.”

Firewise USA provides a framework for neighbors to work together to reduce wildfire risk through actions such as creating defensible space, removing hazardous vegetation and hardening homes. Since the program began in Placer County in 2007, residents have invested thousands of volunteer hours in wildfire risk reduction.

“Wildfire preparedness is about much more than responding when a fire starts,” said CAL FIRE/Placer County Fire Chief Jim Hudson. “The work residents are doing before an emergency, creating defensible space, hardening their homes and working with their neighbors, helps create safer conditions for firefighters and communities.”

The work of Firewise USA  communities is part of a larger effort to reduce wildfire risk and may provide financial benefits to homeowners.

In July, Placer County received a Fire Risk Reduction Community designation from the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, recognizing the county’s comprehensive approach to wildfire prevention and risk reduction. California requires insurers to account for the designation when setting rates, although the amount of any potential savings varies by insurer and property. Residents should contact their insurance provider to determine how the designation applies to their policy. Firewise USA participation may also qualify homeowners for wildfire-related insurance discounts, depending on their insurer and policy.

County and fire officials joined Granite Bay residents from the Mooney Ridge community to celebrate the addition of the 150th Firewise USA community. Photo courtesy of Placer County

Participation in Firewise USA is one part of a broader strategy to prepare Placer County for wildfire and other climate-related risks. The approach has received national attention, including recognition from The Washington Post for the county’s disaster preparedness and climate resilience efforts.

Through its 10-Year Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, the county uses data to identify where fuel reduction and forest management can have the greatest impact. The Regional Forest Health Division has evaluated approximately 650,000 acres and identified a dozen projects for priority treatment.

Projects include forest restoration, hazardous-fuel reduction, strategic fuel breaks and other treatments designed to protect communities, critical infrastructure and evacuation routes. The county works with CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service, local fire districts, fire safe councils and other partners to coordinate projects and leverage state and federal funding.

“Wildfire risk doesn’t stop at a property line or jurisdictional boundary, so our response can’t either,” said Regional Forest Health Coordinator Amanda Brenner. “We’re using data to identify where strategic fuel reduction can provide the greatest benefit and working with partners to make those investments go further.”

The county is also supporting the I-80 Wildfire Risk Reduction Project, led by the Placer-Sierra Fire Safe Council, which is creating strategic shaded fuel breaks along a 33-mile section of Interstate 80 from Applegate to Yuba Gap. The project involves Placer County, Caltrans and CAL FIRE and is designed to reduce wildfire threats to nearby communities and protect critical infrastructure.

In eastern Placer, the county has also coordinated with the U.S. Forest Service and National Forest Foundation on fuels reduction projects on county-owned property near Olympic Valley and Cabin Creek, helping leverage resources and expand the amount of land receiving treatment.

The county’s Regional Forest Health Division and Firewise USA program address wildfire risk at both the landscape and neighborhood levels, from strategic forest management and fuel reduction to residents creating defensible space and hardening their homes.

While large-scale fuel reduction and forest management are important, residents remain a critical part of wildfire preparedness. Key to that effort is connecting neighborhood leaders with local Firewise and fire safe council organizations.

“Placer County’s 150th Firewise USA designation is more than a milestone; it’s a reflection of our residents’ dedication to keeping their neighborhoods safer,” said South Placer Fire Chief Darin Snedeker. “As we begin National Preparedness Month, this achievement reinforces how powerful community involvement can be in reducing wildfire risks.”

For more information about Firewise USA communities, visit Placer County’s Firewise program webpage.

For more information about preparedness, including wildfires, visit ReadyPlacer.