Plumas County Fire Safe Council honors Andrea Irving
The Plumas County Fire Safe Council announced its newest recipient in the Fire Safe Recognition Program. This award identifies and publicly acknowledges outstanding fire safety accomplishments in Plumas County.
A personalized certificate was presented during today’s Feb. 10 meeting to Andrea Irving who has demonstrated initiative and leadership through her actions and accomplishments.
Recipient: Andrea Irving
Submitter: Sue McCourt
Andrea Irving is one of our outstanding citizens who actively educates and demonstrates wildfire preparedness in Plumas County. In 2018 she led the effort for her community at Smith Creek Ranch in Graeagle to become a nationally recognized Firewise Community.
Her passion for wildfire preparedness and fuel reduction is evident by the amount of work that she and her neighbors have done around their homes, their large parcels and along their evacuation route in this community. She and her husband Mike have worked tirelessly with chainsaws in hand thinning, cutting brush and burning and helping neighbors be prepared for fires like the North Complex and Dixie Fires.
Her leadership has been outstanding and is a wonderful example of how neighbors can work together under a common goal of fuel reduction and home hardening. Her community has invested $179,000 worth of hours worked and money spent in the past 4 years in Smith Creek Ranch.
As the resident Firewise leader she has established excellent working relationships with her local US Forest Service fire organization, Graeagle Fire Department, the Plumas Firesafe Council and the Plumas Underburn Cooperative. Smith Creek Ranch private lands are adjacent to the Lakes Basin Fuel Reduction Project where private land backs National Forest.
Andrea’s leadership for her community has been successful in ensuring this area was included in the project as well as private landowners signing up for the upcoming Mohawk Valley Fuel Reduction Project. Both of these projects will provide a huge benefit in reducing wildfire fuel in this community. Smith Creek Ranch is an excellent example of how a community can come together to form a Firewise Community. Congratulations for all your hard work leading the effort Andrea! – Sue McCourt
The nomination process and guidelines are available on the PCFSC website, www.plumasfiresafe.org, under the Recognition tab. A Certificate of Recognition will be awarded to any person, business or community that acted in a manner which helped to reduce the losses from wildfires.
Anyone can nominate a candidate they feel is deserving. A subcommittee will then review the nominees and submit to the Board for a vote to honor the nominee(s) with a certificate. Initially the goal will be to have an announcement at the monthly meetings, which takes place the second Thursday of every month.
For more information on all programs the Fire Safe Council has to offer please visit the PCFSC website: www.plumasfiresafe.org. There are many outreach programs outlined for assistance opportunities and Fire Preparedness.
