Pike Fire Hall – October 4 10:30am – 11:30am
Alleghany Fire Hall– October 4 1pm-2pm
 
Loyalton Drive-Thru – October 9
Wednesday 4pm -6pm High School Parking Lot
Downieville Drive-Thru – October 10
Thursday 11am -1pm Behind the Community Hall
 
Sierra City Library – October 14 10am-11am
Sierraville Ranger Station – October 15 10:30am -11:30am
Calpine Community Center – October 15 12:30pm- 1:30pm
Verdi Von Schmitt Park – October 30 11am till Noon

 
RELEASE DATE:
September 26, 2019


Sacramento – The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) announced the availability of over $80 million for Forest Health and Fire Prevention projects. CAL FIRE is soliciting applications for projects that work to proactively prevent catastrophic wildfires and restore forests to healthy, functioning ecosystems while also sequestering carbon and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Grant Program seeks to significantly increase reforestation, fuels management, fire reintroduction, and treatment of degraded areas. An additional $7 million will be available through the Forest Legacy Program to conserve environmentally important forest land threatened with conversion to non-forest uses, and up to $2 million will be available specifically for applied research examining forest management and health.

CAL FIRE’s Fire Prevention Grant Program seeks to fund local projects that address the risk of wildfire and reduce wildfire potential to communities in, and adjacent to, forested areas. Qualified activities include hazardous fuel reduction, fire prevention planning and fire prevention education with an emphasis on improving public health and safety.
Find more information and sign up for announcements at www.fire.ca.gov/grants.

Official Call for Applications:

Fire Prevention Program: The call for applications opened on September 25, 2019 and will be due by 3:00 PM on December 4, 2019.

Forest Health Program: The call for applications will open on September 27 and will be due by 3:00 PM on December 6, 2019.

Public workshops will be held throughout California starting September 30; additional recorded webinars will be made available online.

These grant programs are part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment– particularly in disadvantaged communities.

These programs serve to complement the 35 priority fuels reduction and fire prevention projects that CAL FIRE has undertaken at the direction of Governor Gavin Newson. They also complement the State Forest Carbon Plan, which seeks to increase the ability of our forests to capture carbon and improve forest health.
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To counter hyperpartisanship and government gridlock in the United States, the Center for High Impact Philanthropy’s latest guide points to increasing civic engagement and reinvigorating local media.For the past several decades, there’s been a marked decline in how much U.S. citizens trust the country’s democratic process. The majority of Americans say it’s of utmost importance for them to live in a democracy, but a 2018 survey from the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy & Global Engagement and others revealed that 55% of Americans feel democracy in the United States is currently weak. 
With this as a backdrop, Penn’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy(CHIP) created its latest guidance, to help people better understand the issues at play and to show how they can help. This week, the Center released the toolkit and its anchor publication, “We the People: A Philanthropic Guide to Strengthening Democracy.” 
“The guide follows the trajectory of all of the Center’s work. There’s a big problem that people are concerned about, but they’re not sure how to help,” says Katherina M. Rosqueta, CHIP’s founding executive director. “Hyperpartisanship, government gridlock, the breakdown of civil discourse—these are all symptoms of a decades-long decline in a trust in our democracy. If you are concerned and you have some money to give philanthropically, whether that’s $10 or $1 million, here’s how can you help.” 
The report calls out five core elements of a robust democracy: Empowered citizens, fair processes, responsive policy, information and communication, and social cohesion. “They work together and reinforce each other,” Rosqueta says. 
For example, “empowered citizens” describe people whose individual rights are protected and who not only vote but work together to solve problems and hold political representatives accountable. Citizens focused exclusively on their own political party winning the next big election can lead to a breakdown in social cohesion, what CHIP defines as a society in which “members recognize each other’s right to a voice in the political process and are willing to collaborate for common ends.” 
To bolster the five elements in this framework, CHIP recommends two ways funders can help.
One is to increase civic engagement, which includes anything from donating to a charity to running for office. Specifically, the report touches on a trio of opportunities—encouraging civic membership by supporting civics education and membership groups, sponsoring public forums that give people a chance to learn and converse with fellow citizens and elected officials, and participating in broad-based voter engagement efforts, not just for big, national elections but for smaller, local elections, too. 
The second is to reinvigorate local media. This means not only larger newspapers and television stations that cover the area, but also hyperlocal websites and other communication outlets that tell a community’s stories. “Healthy local media ecosystems are at the heart of all five elements of a well-functioning democracy,” the report reads. “Journalists provide transparency into elections and legislative processes to ensure their fairness, in addition to elevating the viewpoints of citizens so policymakers can be responsive.” 
At the heart of it all is getting people to give philanthropically, but Rosqueta stresses that the amount doesn’t matter, and that this toolkit is a resource intended to help all donors cut through the noise and make a faster impact. “We’ve done the legwork to orient donors to some of the best ways to offer philanthropic support,” she says. “As with all of CHIP’s work, our goal is to help people turn their concern, good intentions, and charitable dollars into positive social change.”
The toolkit and report, “We the People: A Philanthropic Guide to Strengthening Democracy,” were a collaborative effort led by CHIP project manager Conor Carroll; Hanh La, CHIP director of applied research and analysis; Penn postdoctoral fellow William Berger; and CHIP’s founding executive director, Katherina M. Rosqueta. Funding came from the Democracy Fund. 

SACRAMENTO - Arts grant season has begun in California, the California Arts Council(CAC) announced today.  Applications are now being accepted for 15 of the agency's grant programs, with funding available to community arts projects, arts for youth, arts and justice projects, and operational and field support.  The Sierra County Arts Council(SCAC) is your local arts agency and State-Local Partner with the California Art Council.  We have received and continue to receive support from the CAC through a variety of grant programs including the State-Local Partnership, Artists in Schools, Arts Education Exposure, Artists in Communities and Local Impact programs.
B.J. Jordan, Executive Director of the SCAC has spent the last 10 years lobbying our legislature in Sacramento in support of funding for the arts, especially funding for rural frontier communities like Sierra County.  As state funding for the arts continues to grow, so too has the CAC's support for the field.  This year's permanent increased funding allocation provides the agency added opportunity to activate the arts, culture and creative expression for social change that uplifts all of California's diverse residents.  An estimated $35 million will be awarded to this year's grant recipients—a 30 percent increase over the prior fiscal year, and the largest projected investment of local assistance funds in the agency’s history.
 
"As Californians, creativity sits at the heart of our identity," said Anne Bown-Crawford, Executive Director of the CAC. "We are grateful to open another grant season with even more to offer to California's artists, innovators, and culture bearers-with a complete understanding of the return on the investment in the form of a vibrant, resilient, better California for all." B.J. met with Ann two years ago as she traveled and connected with arts agencies across our state and listened to the rural voice regarding arts programming and funding.
Do you have an art program or project you would like to have come to Sierra County?  The Sierra County Arts Council is here to help.  As your local arts agency, we are happy to partner with individuals and groups who might be interested in grant funding from the CAC.  We are also happy to offer technical assistance to those interested.  More information, including program-specific details, dates, guidelines, and staff contacts can be found at www.arts.ca.gov/programs.  Information on SCAC programs and events may be found at www.sierracountyartscouncil.org.
 

U.S. Forest Service
Pacific Southwest Region
TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST
Sierraville Ranger District
317 S. Lincoln St.
Sierraville, CA 96126
www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe/
News ReleaseContact:  See Below



September 16, 2019


Tahoe National Forest, Calif. – The Truckee and Sierraville Ranger Districts on the Tahoe National Forest will conduct prescribed fires this fall/winter to reduce build-up of hazardous fuels and to continue restoring forest ecosystems.  Hazardous fuels reduction, through prescribed burning, is the most effective and cost efficient treatment available affecting fire behavior, suppression success, and forest health.
Fall and winter bring precipitation and cooler temperatures which are ideal for prescribed fire operations. Planned projects include low-to-moderate intensity understory burns of vegetation on the forest floor and burning piles of stacked woody material.
The goals of these projects are to reduce the severity of future wildfires, provide added protection for communities in the wildland urban interface (WUI), and re-establish natural ecosystems using fire. Reintroducing fire through prescribed fire helps to promote a diverse and more resilient forest, as well as improve habitat for wildlife.  The Forest Service is also working to reduce fuels by thinning dense stands of trees and brush using mechanical thinning, mastication, and hand removal of vegetation throughout the Tahoe National Forest. All these techniques are important to this proactive forest/fuels management.
All prescribed fire projects are conducted in accordance with a specific, approved prescribed fire burn plan.  Burn plans describe the specific conditions under which prescribed burns will be conducted, including the weather, number of personnel, and opportunities to minimize smoke impacts.  This information is used to decide if, when and where to burn. We do our best to give as much advance notice as possible before burning, however, some operations may be conducted on short notice when conditions become conducive to implement a burn.
The following is a list of prescribed fire projects currently planned for this fall/winter:
The Sierraville Ranger District plans to implement around 500 acres of understory burns and 500 acres of pile burning across the district through the fall and winter. Underburn projects are available in the areas of Little Truckee Summit along Hwy. 89 and Sierra Co. Rd 451 (Cottonwood Road), northeast of the Independence Lake area along the Forest Service 07-10 Road, and near the Lewis Mill Guard Station along Sierra Co. Rd 860 (Smithneck Road).  Pile burning projects are planned near the communities of Calpine and Loyalton Pines, as well as in the general Little Truckee Summit/ Independence Lake area, and various other areas throughout the District.
The Truckee Ranger District is also planning to implement approximately 500 acres of understory burns and 500 acres of piles throughout this fall and winter.  The understory burn units are located north of Truckee near Klondike Flats, Prosser OHV, and Sagehen Summit.  Pile burning units are located near Sagehen Summit, Russel Valley, Prosser Reservoir, and Serene Lakes.
Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after lighting. Smoke settles in low lying areas at night and into the morning and usually lifts out during normal daytime warming. Fire crews conduct small test burns before igniting a larger area to verify how effectively fuels will be consumed to ensure the burn and smoke management objectives can be met. All prescribed fires are monitored closely for burning and smoke dispersal conditions and, if necessary, action is taken to mitigate concerns as they arise. Fire personnel closely patrol prescribed burn areas. Forest Service fuels management personnel work closely with the California Air Resources Board and the local air quality management districts to minimize smoke impacts to communities.
We are sensitive to the impact smoke has on people, especially those with respiratory conditions and allergies and we make every effort to conduct prescribed fire operations during weather patterns that carry smoke away from communities.  This summer’s wildfires are a reminder of the importance of fuels reduction and that smoke produced during a prescribed fire is much less intense and of shorter duration than that of a wildfire.  Fire is a natural part of the Sierra ecosystem. Our prescribed fire program is very important in our efforts to restore more natural and resilient ecosystems and minimize the severity of wildfires. A moderate amount of smoke now could prevent a lot of smoke later as well as reduce risks to the public, firefighters, and our natural resources.
For more information, or to receive prescribed fire notifications via e-mail, call or email the following contacts: Truckee RD- Linda Ferguson, District Fuels Specialist, at (530) 587-3558 or linda.ferguson@usda.gov; Sierraville RD- Ruby Burks, District Fuels Specialist, at (530) 994-3401 or ruby.burks@usda.gov. For more information on prescribed fire on the Tahoe National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe and participate in the conversation at twitter.com/Tahoe_NF and www.facebook.com/TahoeNF.
If you would like to learn more about prescribed fire vs. wildfire, please visit https://smokeybear.com/en/about-wildland-fire/benefits-of-fire/prescribed-fires.
 
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

 
NEVADA CITY, Calif. –The US Forest Service announced that fire restrictions in the Tahoe National Forest will be lifted on Friday, September 20, 2019.
“We have received significant amounts of precipitation across the forest lowering our potential for large fire growth which prompted us to end fire restrictions.  Recreationists still need to ensure that their campfires are fully extinguished,” said Shelly Allen, Fire Management Officer for the Tahoe National Forest. 
 
When restrictions are lifted, Tahoe National Forest visitors may have campfires outside of designated campgrounds with a valid California Campfire Permit, smoke outside of designated sites, and operate internal combustion engines off forest roads and trails where designated or authorized.
 
Campfire permits are available for free from any Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) office. You can also obtain a campfire permit online at www.preventwildfireca.org.
 
“Although fire restrictions have been lifted, forest fires can still occur,” said Eli Ilano, Tahoe National Forest Supervisor. “Warm, dry and windy weather conditions are still likely to occur this fall and that means fire danger is still present. Please continue to be careful with fires while in the National Forest.”
 
As a reminder, never leave campfires, gas lanterns, and stoves unattended and make sure power equipment and off-road vehicles have working spark arresters. Other wildfire prevention practices can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/main/r5/fire-aviation/prevention.
 
Cal Fire continues to have a statewide burn restriction. Contact your local Cal Fire office for more information.
 
 
For more information about the Tahoe National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe. Join the conversation by following us on Twitter at twitter.com/Tahoe_NF and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TahoeNF.
 
 

-restrictions lifted on federally-managed land-

QUINCY, CA – The Forest Service announced that fire restrictions will be lifted for federally managed lands in the Plumas National Forest (PNF) effective Monday, Sept 23, 2019. Restrictions on private land remain in place and are managed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (http://calfire.ca.gov).
Forest visitors may enjoy campfires outside of designated campgrounds and recreation sites, although California campfire permits are still required. The free permits may be obtained online at http://www.preventwildfireca.org/Campfire-Permit/ or from Forest Service offices during normal business hours (M-F; 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). Visitors are reminded to keep campfires small and to ensure the fire is dead out and cold to the touch before leaving camp.
As a reminder, woodcutters must assure chainsaws are equipped with spark arresters, have valid woodcutting permits and tags visible on their loads. Please call 1-800-847-7766 as required by firewood permits for burn-day information before heading out to cut wood.
For more information about road conditions, recreation areas and firewood availability, please contact the Beckwourth Ranger District in Blairsden at (530) 836-2575, the Mt. Hough Ranger District in Quincy at (530) 283-0555, or the Feather River Ranger District in Oroville at (530) 534-6500.
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For information about the Plumas National Forest visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/plumas and www.Facebook.com/usfsplumas.
Twitter: @usfsplumas
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. 

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(SACRAMENTO) — Shawn Yadon, CEO of the California Trucking Association (CTA), issued the following statement today in response to the decision by Governor Gavin Newsom to sign Assembly Bill 5 into law:
“In the wake of Governor Newsom signing AB 5, the California Trucking Association is exploring its options to ensure California’s more than 70,000 independent owner-operators do not lose the tens of thousands of dollars spent in purchasing and updating their trucks, and other assets they have invested in order to build their own businesses.
“In its current form, AB 5 denies a significant segment of the trucking industry the ability to continue operating as independent owner-operators, forcing them to abandon investments they’ve made in their trucks as well as taking away their flexibility to set their own schedule and determine their destiny regarding their businesses, which many have operated for more than three decades.
“We look forward to working with the Legislature and the Administration to develop a more workable solution to AB 5 that protects employees from misclassification without eliminating the independent owner-operator business model.”

 
 About the California Trucking Association
Since 1934, the California Trucking Association has been serving the commercial motor carrier industry in California and the companies that provide products and services to the trucking industry. A critical and vital component of California’s economy, nearly 80 percent of California communities depend solely on trucks to deliver their goods. Our carrier membership ranges from individual owner-operators, to small for-hire fleets, to the largest national and international carriers. Allied members of the California Trucking Association range from businesses involved with truck and trailer sales, parts and service, insurance, legal services and all other businesses that support the trucking industry.

 
 The California Trucking Association promotes leadership in the California motor carrier industry, advocates sound transportation policies to all levels of government, and works to maintain a safe, environmentally responsible and efficient California transportation goods movement system. 

 


 

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