b'involving county officials.Insurance companies may Its role is to help, not to enforcerequire a fire-safe roofcounty code, and no information is sharedA s climate warming causes wildfires to with any enforcementbecome larger and more severe, Nevada agency, council Executive DirectorCounty property owners face a new Jamie Jones says. challenge: the availability and cost of new A Fire Safe Council advisor first walksfire insurance.the property with the homeowner. They The insurance companies are very do everything possible to help the homeowner,demanding, says roofing contractor from devising a plan for employing defensibleMatthew Gross. Gross owns MEC Builds, space and land clearing; to how to make theInc., in Grass Valley with partner Haven house itself fire resistant with new fire proofCaravelli. More and more, he says, insurance materials such as noncombustible decking, sidingcompanies are mandating that homeowners and roofing. They will even create reflective, easy- get fireproof roofs or get cancelled. This to-see address signs and chip brush cleared foris putting fear into local homeowners due defensible space. Low-income senior residents orto a good portion of Nevada County being those with medical disabilities may qualify for freeconsidered a high fire area. A growing assistance in defensible space clearing. number of homeowners need a way to get STILL A GOOD TIME TO SELLhelp with roof hardening against fire, Gross Despite the challenges posed by wildfire, it issaid. He wishes the insurance companies still a sellers market, Helms says. Nevada Countywould be more realistic about the financial remains one of the most beautiful rural andburden they are placing on homeowners. historic areas in California. MEC Builds, Inc. meets with property There will always be buyers who want to liveowners in turmoil to find solutions that both here, she says. fit their budgets and satisfy the insurance companies.We are in that fight with the customer, \x1f\x1f\x19\x18\x19\x0f\x14\x19\x18 Gross says.MEC Builds Inc.\x13\x15\x12\x1e\x19\x11\x17\x10\x1b\x1c\x14\x19\x12\x18\x16\x10\x0f\x1c\x16\x1d\x0e MECBuilds.com\x1f\x1e\x1d\x1c\x1b\x1a\x19\x18\x17\x16\x16\x17\x1e\x15\x14\x19\x1f\x1e\x1d\x1c\x1b\x1a\x19\x18\x17\x16\x15\x14\x18\x13\x1f\x1e\x1d\x1c\x1b\x12\x11\x1e\x1d\x1d\x16\x18\x0f\x15\x0e\x1b\x1c\x19\x0f\x15\x0c\x1c\x10\x1b\x14\x19\x0f\x17\x0f\x11\x1b\x0c\x1d\x0b\x0f\x1d\x16\x16\x18\x0b\x08\x07\x06\x0b\x08\x06\x05\x04\x04\x19\x1e\x1b\x03\x17\x1d\x17\x02\x01\x7f\x1b\x1e\x01\x1e\x1b\x1b\x1c\x01\x1e\x02\x15\x1b\x14\x15\x14\x0e\x16\x1b\x1a\x0e\x08\x1b\x1a\x19\x0f\x0e\x16\x1b\x07\x08\x1b\x06\x16\x17\x1e\x1c\x1e\x1b\x0f\x0e\x15\x0f\x19 \x0f\x19 \x1f Organic Soils & Nutrients (530) Indoor/Outdoor Garden Supplies Propagating & Harvesting Supplies 432-4733 Compost Tea 17551 Penn Valley Dr. CIGARSTOBACCOGLASSGIFTS Competitive Pricing Penn Valley Knowledgeable Friendly Staff NOVELTIESCBDRASTA COLOR APPARELDISC GOLFVAPINGMON-FRI 9-6 (530) 432-9957SAT 9-5SUN 10-4 17551 Penn Valley Dr, Penn ValleyNevada County Business Focus 25'