Nevada County rolls out Ready Nevada County campaign, urges residents to "know your zone"

Nevada County officials on March 26 pressed residents to take concrete steps to prepare for wildfire season, describing a three-stage Ready, Set, Go approach and introducing a new mapping tool to make evacuations more precise.

At a county presentation, speakers summarized the Ready phase as education and home hardening: create 100 feet of defensible space, install fine-grain mesh on vents, use noncombustible decking and compile a 72-hour go bag with food, water, medication and copies of critical documents. "Ready Nevada County is an education campaign designed to help the public have successful outcomes during emergency events," a county presenter said.

Residents told the board about narrow escape experiences from historic fires and the role of neighbor networks in getting people out. "If it wasn't for my son who lives next door putting me in the car and driving me out, I don't know how I would have survived," one speaker said.

Officials also demonstrated ZoneHaven, a web-based overlay that assigns every address a numbered evacuation zone. "Go to community.zonehaven.com, type in your address," a presenter said. "Write down the zone so you know it in case of emergency." County staff emphasized that ZoneHaven does not replace opt-in alerting tools such as CodeRED or Nixle but supplements them: hearing a call or advisory, residents can check their zone to know whether to shelter, prepare to leave, or evacuate immediately.

The presentation concluded with practical advice for people with medical devices and mobility challenges: register supports, make transportation plans and, where needed, secure battery backups for CPAPs or oxygen concentrators. County staff and officials encouraged residents who need help preparing to contact the Fire Safe Council, 211 or the Office of Emergency Services for guidance.