Sierra Nevada Firewise Communities
In 2007 and 2008, Sierra Forest Legacy helped lead six new communities to national Firewise Communities USA recognition. These are Grizzly Flats, Volcanoville, Lake Wildwood, Alpine Meadows, Nashville Sandridge, and Walden Woods. These communities are using proactive methods to help reduce the threat of fire to their homes and property.
Firewise is an approach to fire mitigation that puts YOU, the community member, in the lead position to make change. YOU get to choose whether or not your home and/or community has a fighting chance of surviving a large wildfire. There are numerous people that have helped Sierra Forest Legacy's efforts in increasing the awareness of fire mitigation measures is the Sierra. Special thanks to Vicki Yorty (Executive Director of the El Dorado Fire Safe Council), Joanne Drummand (Executive Director of the Nevada County Fire Safe Council), Judith Leraas-Cook (Firewise Communities USA), Wayne Mitchell (CalFire), Richard Englefield (Grizzly Flats), Mary Cornelison (Volcanoville), John Moise (Alpine Meadows), Lisa York (Lake Wildwood), Linda Columbo (Nashville-Sandridge), and Phil Jantz (Walden Woods) for their help, guidance and participation in the Sierra Forest Legacy Firewise Program.
We also wish to thank these communities for their hospitality to us while working through the Firewise process. All of these communities, by moving through the Firewise process have recognized that they are no longer part of the problem, but part of the solution. They have chosen to make their communities more compatible to fire. Congratulations to everyone who participated in this effort!