Jones Fire Recovery and Wildfire Preparedness

Posted on

As of the publication of this news item, the Jones Fire is at 705 acres and 85% contained. All evacuation orders and warnings have been lifted, and Nevada County is moving into the recovery phase of this disaster.

As a partner to Nevada County Office of Emergency Services, 211 Connecting Point keeps concerned residents and their families up-to-date.

211 call center staff fielded 1,820 calls last week, helping people connect with information and resources pertaining to the Jones Fire. We sent out 45 updates to over 10,800 people at peek subscribership to our 797979 JONES text code. Our Jones Fire web page was viewed over 25,000 times. Even as some of our staff were impacted by evacuation or temporary power outages, as members of this community, we are proud to serve our friends and neighbors.

Here are some important resources if you were directly impacted by the Jones Fire or evacuations:  

The staff at 211 Connecting Point wish all those impacted by the fire and related evacuations swift recovery. We send our deep appreciation to first responders and staff still on the scene at the Jones Fire working on full containment, and those who are working on wildfires across the state of California.

211 Connecting Point encourages all of our Nevada County callers to sign up for CodeRED. This is the official emergency notification system of Nevada County that will directly notify you via call and text message if there is an evacuation order or warning for your address. Wildfire season has only just begun. It is important to  maintain situational awareness and stay prepared.  Be sure to:

Jones Fire

Posted on

Text Alerts | Information Sources | Weather Advisory | Evacuation | Road Closures | Shelter | Recovery

Text Alerts

Get the latest non-emergency information on the Jones Fire
Sign up to receive text alerts from 211.

    Thank you for submitting

    Message and data rates may apply.
    Recurring messages subscription.
    Click to view Terms & Privacy.
    Available in USA and Canada.
    Powered by EZ Texting

    Information Sources

    An up-to-date, searchable visual map with current fire footprint, evacuations zones and status is available at:

    In-person information boards and maps are available at:

    • Raley’s
    • Nevada County Fairgrounds – Gate 2
    • Ready Springs School
    • North San Juan Post Office
    • Eric Rood Administration Center Lobby

    Preparedness Resources

    Weather Advisory

    Weather Advisory Language and Definitions:

    • Red Flag Warning: Take Action. Be extremely careful with open flames. National Weather Service issues a Red Flag Warning when fire conditions are ongoing or expected to occur shortly.
    • Fire Weather Watch: Be Prepared. A watch means critical fire weather conditions are possible but not imminent or occurring.

    UPDATE 8/22/20 @ 11:25PM: Fire Weather Watch Upgraded to a Red Flag Warning Sunday-Monday. Find ways you can prepare for fire weather.

    UPDATE 8/21/20 @ 11:30AM: Thunderstorms with little to no rainfall  are possible once again Sunday – Tuesday. These could produce fire starts, so a Fire Weather Watch has been issued. Remember, always have an emergency plan during fire season in case a fire starts near you.

    Smoke from Several Wildfires Burning in Northern California is Impacting the Sacramento Region. Go to https://readynevadacounty.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=3199 for more information.

    Evacuation

    Evacuation Language and Definitions:

    • Evacuation Order: Immediate threat to life and a lawful order to leave now. The area is lawfully closed to public access
    • Evacuation Warning: Potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.
    • Shelter in Place: Go indoors. Shut and lock doors and windows. Prepare to self-sustain until further notice and/or contacted by emergency personnel for additional direction.

    Evacuation Orders

    For a visual map and to look up your address, refer to mynevadacounty.com/dashboard

    UPDATE from OES: 8/21/20 @ 6:55PM
    All evacuations have been lifted for the #JonesIncident.

    Visit http://readynevadacounty.org/mobiledashboard.

    Evacuation Warnings

    UPDATE 8/20/20 @ 1:30PM: There are no longer any Evacuation Warnings in place for the Jones Fire.

    Road Closures

    UPDATE 8/22/20 @ 9:00AM
    Highway 49 above Nevada City has reopened to traffic with no restrictions. The roadway was closed for several days due to the Jones Fire.

    Shelter

    Temporary Evacuation Points

    As of 2pm on 8/21/2020, all temporary evacuation points have been closed due to lack of utilization.

    Animal Evacuation

    An animal evacuation shelter has been activated at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley.

    If you need to get into an evacuated area to check on animals, go to the Nevada County Fairgrounds to be placed on a list with animal evacuation. Law enforcement is utilizing that list.

    Call 530-557-5474 for questions about animal evacuation.

    Gold Country Stage and Gold Country Lift are providing transportation for evacuees with animals. Animals must be able to be carried & controlled by their owners. Animals too large to be carried by their owners (e.g. livestock, cows, horses) are not allowed. All service animals are allowed. Contact the County of Nevada Transportation Department at 530-477-0103.

    Recovery Resources

    The Nevada County Relief Fund may provide residents displaced as a result of the Jones Fire with short-term assistance to fill immediate needs such as temporary accommodations, groceries, gas, etc. or make repairs necessary to help get you rehoused. Grantmaking is limited to funds raised; applications will be evaluated by County caseworkers. Apply here.

    Wildfire evacuees may be eligible for cost reimbursement from their insurance company. See the news release from CA Dept. of Insurance.

    OES Seeks Feedback on CodeRED Emergency Alert Test

    Posted on

    CodeRED_Survey-Sq-v2

    August 12, 2020, the Office of Emergency Services conducted a test of Nevada County’s CodeRED Emergency Alert System and they seek your feedback. Share your experience by completing the emergency alert test Community Survey!

    Feedback is requested whether or not you received an alert. Complete the survey here: ReadyNevadaCounty.org/EmergencyAlertSurvey. 

    More than 150 surveys have already been submitted providing valuable information about the emergency alert test. Many residents shared that the alert appeared to be a sales or spam call due to an automated announcement preceding the notification. The Office of Emergency Services has taken steps to prevent this from happening in the future. Moving forward, alerts will begin with a recording of a human voice that will state, “CodeRED Emergency Alerts from County of Nevada“. 

    211 Nevada County received over 40 CodeRED sign-ups on the day of the test. Normally 211 signs up 60-80 new users in a month.

    Find Helpful Quick Links Below:

    Countywide Test of Emergency Alert Systems Scheduled for August 12

    Posted on

    On August 12, the County of Nevada Office of Emergency Services and the Town of Truckee are teaming up to issue simultaneous tests of the CodeRED and Nixle Everbridge Emergency Alert Systems. 

    All Nevada County residents are advised to prepare by registering for CodeRED Emergency Alerts in one of the following ways:

    CodeRED Emergency Alerts will display as originating from 866-419-5000 or 855-969-4636 on caller ID and Residents are encouraged to save these numbers.

    The Town of Truckee will conduct a concurrent test of the Nixle Everbridge Emergency Alert System which serves Town of Truckee residents. Truckee residents are encouraged to register for Nixle emergency alerts, in addition to CodeRED, which serves unincorporated Eastern Nevada County, and all Western Nevada County. Truckee Police Department and Truckee Fire Protection District utilize the Nixle Everbridge Emergency Alert System as the primary method of communication during critical incidents. Both residents and visitors are encouraged to subscribe to stay informed in the event of an emergency. 

    Residents are encouraged to utilize the user-friendly Nixle Everbridge application on mobile devices. Simply text “APP” to 888-777 to receive a link to download the Everbridge Mobile Application. Complete your registration by downloading, installing and opening the app. Insert 96161 to subscribe to the Truckee Police Department and Truckee Fire Protection District. 

    Both CodeRED and Nixle Everbridge are high-speed mass notification systems designed to notify residents in the event of an emergency. Emergency alerts are one of many communication tools utilized by local government in the event of an emergency, and testing these systems is an important part of emergency planning. 

    These tools are not a guaranteed source of information, and residents should be prepared and remain situationally aware.

    Learn more at ReadyNevadaCounty.org

    Countywide Test of Emergency Alert Systems Scheduled for August 12

    Posted on

    On August 12, the County of Nevada Office of Emergency Services and the Town of Truckee are teaming up to issue simultaneous tests of the CodeRED and Nixle Everbridge Emergency Alert Systems. 

    All Nevada County residents are advised to prepare by registering for CodeRED Emergency Alerts in one of the following ways:

    CodeRED Emergency Alerts will display as originating from 866-419-5000 or 855-969-4636 on caller ID and Residents are encouraged to save these numbers.

    The Town of Truckee will conduct a concurrent test of the Nixle Everbridge Emergency Alert System which serves Town of Truckee residents. Truckee residents are encouraged to register for Nixle emergency alerts, in addition to CodeRED, which serves unincorporated Eastern Nevada County, and all Western Nevada County. Truckee Police Department and Truckee Fire Protection District utilize the Nixle Everbridge Emergency Alert System as the primary method of communication during critical incidents. Both residents and visitors are encouraged to subscribe to stay informed in the event of an emergency. 

    Residents are encouraged to utilize the user-friendly Nixle Everbridge application on mobile devices. Simply text “APP” to 888-777 to receive a link to download the Everbridge Mobile Application. Complete your registration by downloading, installing and opening the app. Insert 96161 to subscribe to the Truckee Police Department and Truckee Fire Protection District. 

    Both CodeRED and Nixle Everbridge are high-speed mass notification systems designed to notify residents in the event of an emergency. Emergency alerts are one of many communication tools utilized by local government in the event of an emergency, and testing these systems is an important part of emergency planning. 

    These tools are not a guaranteed source of information, and residents should be prepared and remain situationally aware.

    Learn more at ReadyNevadaCounty.org

    Volunteers Needed for Green Waste Collection Events

    Posted on

    Nevada County Fire Safe Council is seeking volunteers for the 2020 Free Residential Green Waste Collection days.

    With 3 sites and 18 collection days, volunteers have many opportunities to choose from. Sites are in Grass Valley, Penn Valley, and Alta Sierra. Volunteers can sign up for shifts at different sites on different days if they like.

    Volunteers at each collection site will coordinate traffic, collect participant information, track loads received using a tablet/iPad, answer questions, and perform an initial inspection to ensure invasive species (blackberry, Scotch broom, poison oak) are not in the loads of green waste.

    To volunteer, visit the Volunteer Hub website or call 2-1-1 (or 1-833-DIAL211).

    Details

    Each shift will be from 9am-3pm. The collections will take place on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays of each of the following weeks:

    • May 17, 18, 19
    • May 24, 25, 26
    • May 31, June 1, 2
    • June 7, 8, 9
    • June 14, 15, 16
    • June 21, 22, 23

    Sign up for as many time slots as you are willing to take.

    QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING:

    • Must be 18 or older. Can be 16 or 17 if attending with an adult.
    • Special measures will be put in place to ensure this is a no-contact event, keeping volunteers safe from potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus. This includes training delivered via video conference, or via YouTube. Completion of a short quiz will be required after the training, as well.
    • We will train you on the use of the tablets/iPads to check-in residents and show you how to spot invasive species in loads of green waste.
    • Fire Safe Council requires both liability and media releases (permission to use pictures of you doing the work)

    WHAT TO BRING:

    A smile, a water flask, a camp chair if you need to sit down, and perhaps some sunscreen and a hat. We’ll provide everything else you need that day.

    BACKGROUND:

    Cost for green waste removal remains a significant obstacle for property owners when it comes to fuels reduction. In response to this obstacle, the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County (FSCNC) hosted a 2019 Green Waste Event, resulting in removal of over 500 tons of green waste from Western Nevada County.

    Based on the enthusiastic response by the community FSCNC will continue this event in 2020, partnering with the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services to provide this valuable service to residents for a total of 18 days in May and June, in order to further reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire in the community.

    The collection and processing of this green waste will also reduce the number of burn piles in the county, which can irritate the lungs of residents who already face respiratory challenges. If their respiratory system is already compromised, contracting COVID-19 may be even more of a threat to them.

    The objective this year is to expand upon an already successful event, continuing to provide a cost-effective way for residents of Western Nevada County to dispose of their residential green waste at three convenient locations, instead of creating a burn pile to eliminate that waste.

    Thank you for your commitment to making Nevada County safer from wildfire, and to helping those with compromised respiratory systems get through this difficult time. Stay safe, and well.

    Countywide Emergency Alert Test

    Posted on

    Not sure if you’re signed up for emergency alerts?

    County of Nevada Office of Emergency Services will issue a test of the Code RED emergency alert system on Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 10:00 am.

    If you haven’t registered for Code RED emergency alerts, now is a great time to sign up. It only take a few minutes to enroll in any of the following ways:

    Code Red alerts will come from 866-419-5000 or 855-969-4636 on your caller ID. Save these numbers to your phone’s contacts to make sure you don’t mistake an alert fro spam.

    The Town of Truckee will conduct a simultaneous test of the Nixle emergency alerts system which serves Town of Truckee residents. Truckee residents are encouraged to register for Nixle emergency alerts, in addition to Code RED. Truckee Police Department and Truckee Fire Protection District provide the primary emergency notifications to Town of Residents via Nixle.

    Town of Truckee residents and visitors can sign-up for Nixle messages by texting 888777 with the Truckee zip code of 96161 for pre-event messages and emergency notifications.

    Both Code Red and Nixle are high-speed mass notification systems designed to notify Nevada County and Town of Truckee residents in the event of an emergency. Emergency alerts are one of many communication tools utilized by the local government in the event of an emergency, and testing these systems is an important part of emergency planning.

    These tools are not a guaranteed source of information, and residents should be prepared and remain aware.

    Learn more at ReadyNevadaCounty.org/EmergencyAlerts
    Follow Office of Emergency services on Twitter @NevCoOES and Facebook @NevadaCountyOES for updates and tips on how to prepare.
    Follow Truckee Fire Protection District on Twitter and Facebook @TruckeeFire.
    Follow Truckee Police Department on Twitter and Facebook @TruckeePolice

    New Website Focuses on Wildfire Preparedness

    Posted on

    Ready Nevada County and County of Nevada logosThe County of Nevada wants residents to be ready for wildfire. And they’re providing all kinds of tools and information to help us get the job done, from packed community forums and free green waste disposal to the super-informative Ready, Set, Go Handbook that landed in our mailboxes last month.

    Their latest tool is ReadyNevadaCounty.org. The new website combines information on the County’s wildfire readiness strategies with steps individuals can take to get prepared. You’ll find everything you need for your Ready, Set, Go strategy, including:

    ReadyNevadaCounty.org brings everything together in one place. So what are you waiting for? Start preparing today.

    Ready Nevada County is a stakeholder effort coordinated by the County of Nevada to raise awareness and mobilize the community to prevent and prepare for wildfire. Look for the Ready Nevada County logo for the latest on wildfire readiness.