Rattlesnake Neighborhood Association

09/30/2026

The Wildfire Preparedness Walking Tour Sept. 14th was a hit! A crowd of 50+ neighbors viewed several homes on Highland Drive along with experts to offer real-life examples for home hardening, defensible space, and vegetation management. A HUGE thanks to those neighbors who volunteered their homes or attended! These events answer important questions about how we can stay ready and safe. Thanks to all the partner organizations: UC Cooperative Extension, CAL FIRE, and the Rattlesnake Neighborhood Firewise Community. Here are resources shared at the event:
--UC ANR Wildfire Preparedness Resources for Residents:https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2026-04/2026_UCANRFireNetwork_ResourcesForResidents_ADA.pdf
--Fire-Smart Landscaping in the Sierra Foothills factsheet: https://ucanr.edu/county/placer/nevada-counties/fire-smart-landscaping
--Defensible Space Landscaping: Mulches factsheet:https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2026-05/UCANRFireNetwork_MulchFactsheet_052026Update_ADA.pdf
--Thinning for Defensible Space factsheet: https://ucanr.edu/site/forest-research-and-outreach/wildfire-management

09/30/2026

Have an hour to spare Thursday morning?
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Come meet up with neighbors for our quarterly cleanup of
Rattlesnake and Lower Colfax Roads
Thursday, October 1st at 9:00am
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--Convene at the intersection of Rattlesnake Rd. and Highland Dr. - South Access at 9am on Thursday 10/1.

--Pick up a safety vest, grabber (which eliminates bending over) and orange trash bags provided by Nevada County Public Works.

--Wear work clothes, sturdy shoes, gloves if you like, and bring drinking water.

Our neighbor, Gene Haroldsen, will be there to answer questions and coordinate.

This cleanup effort helps maintain the pride and beauty of our wonderful neighborhood. Share this with your neighbors or bring a friend. More volunteers means we can cover more territory - you will make a real difference!

09/03/2026

*** FREE Wildfire Preparedness Walking Tour ***
Take a short walk with experts and view real-world examples in our neighborhood.
Location: Grass Valley, CA (Highland Drive, just off Rattlesnake Road - register for location details)
Date/Time: September 14, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Cost: FREE and open to the public
Organizers: This event is in collaboration with the CAL FIRE, Rattlesnake Firewise Community, and Nevada County Office of Emergency Services.
PRE-REGISTER HERE: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=49769

Instructors will provide science-based solutions for home hardening and maintenance to protect structures from wildfires.

The walking tour will cover:

{} Wildfire Preparedness Fundamentals: Participants will learn key concepts related to home hardening and defensible space, along with fire science fundamentals.

{} Zone Zero and Home Hardening: Instructors will cover the importance of implementing Zone Zero, a five-foot noncombustible zone around your structure. Learn about other parts of your home that can be hardened to resist wildfires.

{} Fire-Smart Landscaping Best Practices: Instructors will highlight the principles of “right plant, right place, right care,” alongside best practices for pruning and spacing plants, flammability of different mulches and the importance of working with neighbors.

{} Forest and vegetation management: Attendees will learn about management practices for vegetation and forest health on and around their properties.

Additionally, representatives from the CAL FIRE and Nevada County Office of Emergency Services will be on site to discuss local ordinances and share wildfire-related community resources available to residents.

07/14/2026

You're welcome to join us!

The NCRCD Board meets this Tuesday, 7/14, at 4:00 PM. These meetings are open to the public and if you'd like attend, please do.

The meetings are held at our offices at 113 Presley Way, Ste. 2

For minutes and information, please visit:

https://www.ncrcd.org/board-meetings

06/20/2026

Senate Bill 973 has officially passed out of the California State Senate, marking an important step forward for wildfire resilience efforts across California. 🌲🔥

The bill now moves to the California State Assembly, where it has been referred to the Assembly Natural Resources and Emergency Management Committees.

The legislation would codify and expand the Wildfire County Coordinator Program, a proven partnership between CAL FIRE and CFSC that has supported local coordination, mitigation planning, funding access, and community wildfire resilience efforts statewide since 2021.

Through this program, Wildfire County Coordinators work across California to strengthen local collaboration, support mitigation efforts, connect partners and resources, and help communities take action to reduce wildfire risk.

To date, the program has helped secure more than $104 million for local wildfire mitigation and preparedness efforts statewide.

We’ve launched a new SB 973 webpage featuring legislative updates and additional resources on the statewide impact of the Wildfire County Coordinator Program.

🔗 Learn more: https://cafiresafecouncil.org/sb-973/

05/20/2026

Public input by Friday 5/22 for this study
https://engage.dot.ca.gov/sr20_49gvstudy?HTTPSRedirected=true&fbclid=IwdGRjcAR6xwdjbGNrBHrG5mV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHr20Iools1V5bNWdgfk74NHS67dl2drhPoF9yaHn1wad5iSmYdiUUX3Uksuu_aem_b4KL9hQr5kcucjAbqZR6mw

Caltrans is conducting a feasibility study on the State Route (SR) 20/49 interchange to assess and develop comprehensive alternative solutions that address bicyclist and pedestrian safety accessibility and connectivity. The study also explores alternative safety solutions that improve traffic flow f...

05/15/2026

The Champion Mine Road burn has been rescheduled for May 30th-31st!

Come learn the process for conducting your own burn (outside city limits!) and the different tasks involved like holding/monitoring, taking weather to keep within prescription, and putting fire down in different patterns to control fire behavior.

Sign up at ncrcd.org or through the link on our linktr.ee!

05/08/2026

Your voice matters in shaping Nevada County’s future. 🌎

Nevada County is inviting residents to take part in the second community survey for the Resource Resiliency Roadmap, a plan focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for the impacts of a changing climate.

This next phase is all about you. Community feedback will help shape the draft actions and priorities that could directly impact daily life across the county.

Have you experienced wildfire, severe storms, or extreme heat? Your input is especially important in helping guide programs, investments, and policies that build a more resilient future.

📝 Take the survey today: www.surveymonkey.com/r/HB8VJ6P
📅 Open through Monday, May 18, 2026

Help ensure this roadmap reflects the needs, values, and lived experiences of our community.

04/30/2026