Casci Roadside Fuel Break

The Casci Roadside Fuel Break project, managed by the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services, is a wildfire mitigation initiative located in central Nevada County, specifically north-northeast of Scotts Flat Reservoir and south of Highway 20. The project aims to improve evacuation routes and establish a holding feature for first responders by reducing flammable vegetation along approximately 2.8 miles of roadway. The treatment area encompasses both public and private lands identified as High Priority Project Areas by the 2025 Nevada County OES Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The scope of work involves manual thinning to reduce ladder fuels and disrupt vegetation continuity, specifically targeting dead, dying, diseased, and small trees with a diameter less than 12 inches. This process includes limbing residual trees, removing occasional shrubs, and chipping material roadside to be rebroadcast back into the unit. The project is being executed under a California Environmental Quality Act statutory exemption (PRC 21080.49) for fire clearance activities extending up to 100 feet from the roadway centerline. The specific performance locations include portions of Sections 20, 29, 30, and 31 in Township 17N, Range 10E, as well as Section 36 in Township 17N, Range 9E. By decreasing canopy density and increasing canopy spacing and base height, the project seeks to promote forest health and wildfire resilience in alignment with the shared vision of Nevada County OES and the CAL FIRE Washington Ridge Crew. Administrative oversight is provided by Forestry Projects Manager Alex Geritz, and the project documentation includes updated notices to ensure the inclusion of all relevant land sections.