Special Events
Join the Mohawk Valley Firewise Communities for a presentation by Kane Russell
Learn how to identify dead and dying native conifers, common forest insects and diseases you might find in your backyard, and ways to improve forest health. Learn what to look for and what you can do about it by joining us on
When: Thursday, July 30, 2026, 4:30PM
Where: Mohawk Community Resource Center (intersection of Highways 89 & 70).
Firewise Presentation Sept 10th Highlights
LORI PINI, Plumas County Office of Emergency Services.
211norcal.org – Announced that this program is operational - Disaster Relief, Basic Human Needs, Health Resources, Employment Support, Support for Seniors and Disabled, Children, Youth and Families
HalterProject.org - Dog Ready Kit, Cat Ready Kit, Supplies for 7-14 days if evacuated. Lori encouraged residents to install a key pad for access to home to evacuate animals if you are away and unable to do so yourself.
CHANDLER PEAY, Plumas County Sheriff Deputy Dispatcher
Protect.genasys.com – Alerts are tailored specifically for Valley Ranch. Be sure that you are signed up. Please log in and check that your physical address and telephone number are linked. At the meeting Chandler showed a map of Valley Ranch which indicated that only 16 homes were registered. Chandler recommended that Valley Ranch residents not rely on Watch Duty or our evacuation zone for exact information.
RYAN PEDERSEN, California Highway Patrol District Commander
(and Valley Ranch Resident)
Lt. Pedersen explained that the California Highway Patrol officers would be on hand to work directly with the Plumas County Sheriff Department directing traffic and providing security for evacuated neighborhoods. Because they are a statewide agency, they can draw officers from all corners of California if needed. He also stressed that if you are told to evacuate, please do so. By refusing to evacuate, you may be hindering firefighters' abilities to effectively fight the fire and putting others in danger.
CHIEF ED WARD – Graeagle Fire Department
Chief Ward urged us to plan for a power outage with backup batteries, oxygen if needed, cords for electrical devices.
If you have a Standby Generator place a yellow instruction/warning sticker on your electrical panel. This way, when emergency responders go to shut off power at your home, if it is still on, the generator can be shut off too. For example, if the generator were left running, your automatic sprinklers will go off if they were activated. Cathy Linden has extra stickers for those that may not have gotten one at the meeting,
Kane Russell
As Forest Advisor for Plumas, Sierra, and Lassen Counties, Kane Russell works to advance sustainable forest stewardship practices, strengthen community wildfire resilience, and overcome barriers to project implementation. Kane is based at the UCCE Plumas-Sierra office in Quincy, where he leads an extension and applied research program in close collaboration with local partners to address critical forestry and fire issues in the region.
Kane earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry from UC Berkeley, where he studied the effects of prescribed burning and other fuels reduction treatments on young Sierra Nevada mixed conifer stands. Post-graduation, he continued his research on prescribed burning and forest management at Berkeley’s Blodgett Forest Research Station. Prior to joining UCCE, Kane worked as a forest ecologist at Yosemite National Park, where he helped plan and implement a mechanical fuels reduction program to protect the park’s iconic landscapes and at-risk communities from high-severity wildfire.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors…..fuels reductions workday September 13th
On September 13, 2025, a group of 14 volunteers as well as the property owners spent a day reducing hazardous fuels on an unimproved parcel in Valley Ranch. This work was done in accordance with Recommendation #2 of the Valley Ranch Hazardous Fuels Assessment completed by California Registered Professional Forester #2808, Danielle Bradfield, in July of 2019. “Reduce hazardous fuels upon unimproved parcels within the subdivision, especially when these lots are within the 200-foot HIZ of an adjacent residence.” In addition to 12 Valley Ranch residents, Hannah Hepner and Ryan Bauer of The Watershed Group and Training Center and two of Hannah’s young daughters joined in the work party. Kudos to this amazing, hard working group of volunteers who put in 8 long hours!!! It was a very rewarding day as the transformation of Lot #30 is truly amazing!!! The owners are working with The Watershed Group and Training Center and hope to do a prescribed burn on this property in the near future.
