About Us

The Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities, formed September 2017, is an all-volunteer organization (no staff, no dues, no budget) which works with, but is not related to, the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County. We exist to support the representatives and residents of nearly 100 Firewise Communities (FWCs) in Nevada County -- that number includes more than 70 NFPA-certified FWCs and the rest "in the pipeline" for certification. Individual FWCs, as part of a well-respected national movement, are certified through, and supported by, the Fire Safe Council.


The Coalition was created to bring FWC representatives together to share ideas and information with each other and to amplify the county-wide effort to educate residents on wildfire preparedness. We work hard in our neighborhoods to promote safe practices in a dangerous wildfire environment. The Coalition may also sometimes act as a "voice of the people" in advocating for better fire-safe practices and policies. We met monthly through 2022.

In early 2020 the Coalition moved to online Zoom meetings that we later opened to the public. Our meetings are recorded and available in our Archive. Our email list has grown to more than 1,400 people concerned about wildfire, and our speakers cover topics ranging from insurance issues to emergency radio systems and more.

Starting in 2023, we changed to quarterly hybrid meetings (February, May, August and November). In 2024, we will return to our founding focus of helping representatives of Firewise Communities learn from each other to strengthen their local groups.

In addition to holding educational meetings and maintaining this website of resources, the Coalition also creates easy-to-understand documentation to address frequently asked questions. These documents, which can be found with other materials on our Education Resources page, include Roadside Clearing Regulations for both County and City residents; What Do You Do When Your 100 feet of Defensible Space Goes Onto a Neighbor's Property?; and How to Stay Informed During Wildfire Season.

Check out the history and evolution of both the Coalition and the County Office of Emergency Services here, in a PDF/Powerpoint celebrating our 5-year anniversary.

  • FORM OF ORGANIZATION: The Coalition is an unincorporated nonprofit association as defined by California Corporations Code Section 18020(a).
  • MISSION: The Coalition promotes fire safety through advocacy, education, and community involvement with other stakeholders interested in working toward stronger fire safety practices.
  • GOAL: To support the formation and functioning of neighborhood-based Firewise Communities through information-sharing and collaborative problem-solving, in coordination with key public and private Nevada County organizations, in the recognition that fire is everyone's fight. 
  • MEMBERSHIP:
    • Nevada County residential communities certified as a “Firewise Community” under the NFPA’s Firewise USA Program plus those considered “in training" can be Members of the Coalition. Individual county residents may also join. "Joining" simply means getting on our mailing list. There are no dues.
    • Each member Firewise Community (both NFPA-certified and in training) may designate one representative to vote on occasional pieces of Coalition business (e.g., advocacy positions, by-law changes). If that representative cannot attend a meeting, another member of that community may fill in for him or her.
    • A member may terminate membership at any time by notifying the Coalition Chair in writing or by email.

Our meetings are the first Tuesday in February, May, August and November at 5:30 pm (unless re-scheduled due to holiday/weather). Once a year, the meeting will be in Truckee. The other meetings are held at Esterly Hall (Nevada County Association of Realtors), 336 Crown Point Circle, in Grass Valley. Never been there? Here's an aerial map view plus photo of the lower driveway and building.

Join our mailing list to get the latest meeting information.

Our meetings are now recorded. Videos of our past meetings are here on our YouTube Channel.

Steering Committee members (FWC = Firewise Community)
Darin Bue, Floriston FWC, representing Eastern County FWCs
Kristen Cook, YouBet FWC
Jason Hajduk-Dorworth, Eastside Regional FW Coalition
Erika Kosina, Greater Champion FWC
Bob Long, Sherwood Forest FWC
Jeff Peach, Banner Mountain FWC - email list, web tech support
Susan Rogers, Glenwood-Maidu-Charlene FWC - website content

By Laws
Coalition-Bylaws Final Approved Oct2021.pdf
Coalition Creation - Press Release December 2017
Chair and Vice Chair Job Description - Coalition-Position-Descriptions.pdf

Join the Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities Email List - Stay Informed!
How to Stay Informed During Wildfire Season 18Jul2021.pdf