After their recent consolidation to keep the Rough and Ready Fire Department solvent, the Penn Valley Fire Protection District now has 100 square miles to cover, making it one of the largest areas to service in Nevada County. And, while appearing on KNCO’s On the Town, Chief Clayton Thomas said call emergency volume this year is approaching an all-time high…

And as you might expect, a lot of those calls were to the South Yuba River, which runs through a large portion of the county.  And although fire activity has quieted recently, Thomas is well aware of the high danger level this time of year. He said they’re asking property owners to stay as vigilant as his staff is. But take the usual precautions, with vegetation being about as dry as it can be…

Thomas also urged homeowners to keep their phones with them while doing outdoor hardening work, so firefighters can come out a little faster, in case something gets out of control. He said the most recent major fire the Penn Valley Fire Protection District responded to was one that destroyed a home and scorched about 20 acres in the Jones Bar area.