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Placer County Public Safety Articles



Image caption: A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained

What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.

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When Wildfire Strikes: The Coordinated Effort Behind Fire Response in the Tahoe Region

TRUCKEE, Calif. – The 2024 wildfire season has proven once again to be an active one, with California witnessing over 7,100 wildfires that have scorched more than 1 million acres. The Tahoe region, in particular, experienced several major fires, including …

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Tahoe Conservancy Awards $601,700 to the North Tahoe Fire for Local Programs to Reduce Wildfire Risk

TAHOE CITY, Calif. —The California Tahoe Conservancy has awarded a $601,700 grant to the North Tahoe Fire Protection District for three years of work on programs to help reduce wildfire risk for north and west shore communities and their surrounding …

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
‘Governors Are Going to Have to Create a New System’: Leaders in the West Lambast Insurance Industry Over Rising Costs for Homeowners

Smoke and burned trees are pictured near Sylvan Lake State Park during a wildfire that erupted south of Eagle in the White River National Forest on June 20, 2021. With intense wildfires becoming a greater threat in the West, homeowners …

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Tahoe Truckee Community Organizations Active in Disaster Funded Through June 2025

TRUCKEE, Calif. – The Tahoe Truckee Community Organizations Active in Disaster (TT COAD) develops and enhances partnerships to create a resilient Tahoe Truckee region that is prepared to respond and recover from disasters. The Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation initiated the …

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Placer County to Run Emergency Notification Test

A county-wide test of our Placer Alert emergency notification system will take place on Thursday, December 12 at 12 p.m.

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Prescribed Burn Planned for Waddle Ranch

TRUCKEE, Calif. – Conditions and weather permitting, CAL FIRE plans to conduct a broadcast burn in the Waddle Ranch area of Placer County near the Truckee Tahoe Airport District November 7 and 8 and possibly the 9.

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Fall Means Feeding Frenzy for Black Bears

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Autumn is here, and black bears are entering a temporary physiological state known as "hyperphagia." During hyperphagia, also known as the fall feeding frenzy, bears consume as much as they can to bring their fat stores …

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TRPA Waits for Homewood to Finish Its Work

HOMEWOOD, Calif. – In response to Homewood Mountain Resort's announcement it will remain closed for the 2024-25 season, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) said it is waiting for the resort to submit a more detailed public access plan, employee …

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What You Need to Know About Tahoe’s Regional Evacuation Plan

GREATER LAKE TAHOE AREA, Calif. / Nev. – Fire agencies around the Tahoe Basin recently publicized the Lake Tahoe Regional Evacuation Plan, but most of the information within it is not particularly new.

Granite Bay Mirror logo LOCAL NEWS
Placer County Secures $23.7M to Expand Broadband Access to More Foothill Communities

Another significant boost to broadband connectivity is headed for Placer County’s rural communities.

Placer Sentinel logo LOCAL NEWS
Placer County Secures $23.7M to Expand Broadband Access to More Foothill Communities

Another significant boost to broadband connectivity is headed for Placer County’s rural communities.

Featured

A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained
What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.
States have expansive powers to protect the health of the general public.
The State’s Broad Power to Protect Public Health, Explained
Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, states have possessed broad authority to protect public health.
California will soon be getting a new hotline number as an alternative to 911 for mental health crises.
988, the New Mental Health Emergency Number, Explained
Here's the story behind that new service, and the original 911 number.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained
Areas that the county overlooks can form their own local governments.
How Not to Feel the Burn
These groups help residents preserve their property, health and life.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
Though it’s the most famous, the San Andreas Fault is just one of more than 500 active faults in California.
Battening Down for the Big One
Making it through the earthquake is easy—the hard part comes later.
Many of Robert Kerbeck’s neighbors in Malibu Park lost their homes in the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which left behind lots where only chimneys still stood.
Give Your Home a Fighting Chance in a Wildfire
Wildfires are larger, more frequent, and more ferocious—so be prepared.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
With CERT training, volunteers can learn firefighting skills.
Emergency Teamwork
With CERT training, ordinary civilians can play critical roles in protecting their communities.
View of the flooded San Lorenzo River Park Benchlands in Santa Cruz, California on New Year's Eve 2022.
Communicating During Disaster and Crisis
Recent lessons learned over days of local disaster.
Placer Couty recently grappled with the Mosquito Fire, California’s largest wildfire in 2022.
Disaster Prep: Alerts, Maps and Apps
Keep these online resources handy in case of floods, fires, quakes and other disasters.