El Dorado County Public Safety Digest

Three days after immensely destructive and deadly wildfires broke out in and around Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $322.3 billion state budget with a positive revenue forecast “based on an assumption of continued but slowing economic growth.”

Jennielynn Holmes stood in the middle of a make-shift evacuation center when the scope of the crisis hit her.

Key moisture measurements are only 2% to 5% of average, leaving dusty soils. And the recent swing from wet to dry is among the most extreme on record. This combination of climatic conditions crossed into a danger zone, priming much of Southern California for wind-whipped fires.

Read on to learn about the measures taken to harden and protect the lone remaining house of the neighborhoodfrom the Pacific Palisades fire in Southern California.

A presumptive case of H5N1 bird flu has been identified in a child who resides in San Francisco, the city’s Department of Public Health announced.The child had a fever and conjunctivitis but did not need to be hospitalized and has since made a full recovery, public health officials said Friday.

Official updated information from WatchDuty about the Eaton Fire in Southern California.

Official updated information from WatchDuty about the Palisades Fire in Southern California.

Plan to attend one of the three open houses in January at El Dorado County Fire Protection District and Diamond Springs-El Dorado Fire Protection District stations to learn more about new engines being brought into service to protect the community. Read on for more information.

Read on to learn more about what happens in the aftermath of a wildfire, using the 2021 220,000-acre Caldor Fire as an example.

State prisoners have long been a part of California’s firefighting force. Hundreds of them now are deployed in Los Angeles County.

After days of sniping back and forth with President-elect Donald Trump over California’s handling of the fires ravaging Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom today invited the incoming Republican president to visit the state and survey the damage.

As climate change warms the planet, wildfires have become so unpredictable and extreme that new words were invented: firenado, gigafire, fire siege — even fire pandemic. California has 78 more annual “fire days” — when conditions are ripe for fires to spark — than 50 years ago. When is California’s wildfire season? It is now almost year-round.

President-elect Donald Trump faulted California water policies for the devastating wildfires that are burning in Los Angeles County. The fires started because of fierce winds and extremely dry conditions.

The federal government typically covers 75% of rebuilding costs after a major disaster. President-elect Trump has threatened to withhold firefighting money from California.

In their December 10 meeting, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors were given a report on the accomplishments and progress of the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience. Read on to learn more about the office and their ongoing projects.

Keith Poulsen's jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October. A livestock veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin, Poulsen had seen sick cows before, with their noses dripping and udders slack.

Cal Fire is taking applications for Camp Cinder, a free four-day, three-night immersive firefighter camp for young women ages 15-17. The program, led by women firefighters and offered June 23-26 in Shasta and San Luis Obispo, will teach rope skills, water rescues, hose movement, leadership and more,

As the first serious case of bird flu in a human is reported and more dairy herds across the state are infected, California Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency. Read on to learn what that entails.

The Tahoe Conservancy awarded a $601,700 grant to the North Tahoe Fire Protection District to aid in resilience and fuel reduction efforts. Read on to learn how the funds will be used over a three-year period.

KFOK Community Radio in Georgetown is the recipient of a grant to fund a power backup system. Learn more about the grant, and the role KFOK will play in any upcoming emergency.

Learn how you can volunteer with the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Tahoe Search and Rescue Incident Support Team.

Are food recalls on the rise? Yes. Read on to learn more.

Living in an urban/wildland interface, as we do here in the Lake Tahoe Basin, comes with a responsibility to do our best to coexist with native wildlife.

Learn more about the Georgetown electrical microgrid, installed by PG&E a few years ago.

Bird flu has been spreading among dairy workers in California’s Central Valley, jumping from cows to people. A new suspected case in the Bay Area came from an unknown source.

An introduction to the new Squad 7 emergency response vehicle acquired and deployed by the Lake Valley Fire Protection District.

Read on for details about the new disaster response sponsorship program launched by the West Slope Foundation.

In their November 12 meeting, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors approved a three percent cost of living raise to some county staff. Learn more about which staff, and an update to hire snow plow drivers in time for the onset of winter.

Learn more about snow removal staffing shortages which will affect unincorporated parts of El Dorado County in the coming months.

A look at ongoing fuel reduction efforts in the Lake Tahoe region as autumn progresses.

The invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitos have been detected in more areas of Santa Clara County, prompting officials to hold meetings to discuss their response to the threat posed by the species. 

Not content with just saving lives and protecting property, South Lake Tahoe firefighters have started a nonprofit foundation to raise funds to make the community better.