Recent Fire History

Major Wildfires in Nevada County

Jones Fire (2020)
Started at 3 a.m. off Jones Bar Road, burning 340 acres and forcing 3,891 immediate evacuations and 11,646 evacuation warnings near Nevada City. The fire illustrated how rapidly conditions can escalate — from ignition to mass evacuation within hours — in steep foothill terrain.
49er Fire (1988)
33,700 acres in Nevada and Yuba counties. Destroyed 312 structures including more than 140 homes. Communities of Lake Wildwood, Rough and Ready, and Smartsville were threatened. At the time, one of California's most destructive fires.
Ongoing Grass Valley / Nevada City Risk
The Grass Valley–Nevada City urban area sits within one of California's most fire-prone wildland-urban interface zones, with limited evacuation routes and significant structural density abutting dense chaparral and timber.

California Law & Local Requirements

What the Law Requires

01
AB 38 — Home Hardening Disclosure
Mandatory for Nevada County homes built before 2010 in High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. As of July 2025, sellers must include the State Fire Marshal's complete low-cost retrofit list.
02
Nevada County General Plan Fire Safety Element
Nevada County's General Plan includes fire safety policies requiring new development in high-risk zones to meet Chapter 7A WUI standards, maintain access roads, and address evacuation route capacity.
03
PRC 4291 — Defensible Space
100-foot clearance required for all properties in State Responsibility Areas. CAL FIRE's Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit (NEU) conducts active inspection programs throughout the county.

Note: As of July 1, 2025, California expanded AB 38 disclosure requirements. Sellers of homes built before 2010 in High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones must now provide buyers with the State Fire Marshal's complete low-cost retrofit checklist, identifying which measures are present on the property. Consult a qualified real estate professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Why Drench

Built for Nevada County Conditions

The Sierra foothills terrain that makes Nevada County beautiful also makes it extraordinarily difficult to defend. Steep canyons channel fire uphill at speed. Limited road networks can cut off evacuation routes within minutes. Utility outages during fire events are common.

Drench is engineered for exactly these conditions — fully off-grid capable, Starlink-connected so it works when cell towers fail, and hydraulically designed per property to account for elevation change and water supply. When you evacuate, your home keeps defending itself.