Placer County Public Safety Digest

The growth and spread of algae is one reason blue lakes around the world can go green in the summer. Most algae in Lake Tahoe does not pose a health risk to people or animals. Keep Tahoe Blue offers tips on dealing harmful algal blooms.

A Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response team is assessing federal lands burned in the Mosquito Fire, with the goal of ensuring safety for all in the Tahoe and Eldorado national forests, and YubaNet features many of the images captured by the team.

National Fire Prevention Week, established in remembrance of the Chicago Fire of 1891, has been observed starting the second Sunday in October since 1922. It is the longest-running health and safety observance on record, according to the National Archives and Records Administration.

North Tahoe Fire Protection District accepted two grants during its September meeting that will be used for a rescue apparatus, extrication equipment and advanced cancer screening for firefighters, the district announced.

The Placer County Big Trees Grove, located in Tahoe National Forest, was considered at risk when the Mosquito Fire began. Forest officials shared video of measures taken to protect the grove before and during the fire.

The Auburn City Fire Department put its newest equipment to use earlier this month. The department was awarded a grant for two LUCAS 3 CPR devices, which can be deployed quickly with minimal interruption to patient care. Both department engines are now fitted with the equipment.

California has temporarily banned insurance companies from dropping customers in areas affected by recent wildfires, a day after evacuation orders were lifted for residents near the Mosquito Fire.

South Placer Fire Protection District will make several operational changes that will directly impact the communities it serves within Placer County. The changes include select station closures and service reductions, according to a press release issued by the district.

The Colfax City Council has approved an ordinance that will restrict or prohibit parking on narrow streets. Under the ordinance, the city engineer will make recommendations on streets that may need enforcement and the council will approve or disapprove parking restrictions.

Firefighters reported 49 percent containment of the Mosquito Fire as of Sept. 21. The fire, burning in both El Dorado and Placer counties, has consumed 76,290 acres with no growth overnight. Cal Fire officials said fire behavior overnight was minimal, due to three consecutive days of precipitation.

The Dutch Fire off Interstate 80 near Dutch Flat is at 48 acres with 95 percent containment, according to Cal Fire.The fire activity diminished greatly by 5 p.m. Tuesday and all evacuation orders and the Interstate 80 closure were lifted. The cause is unknown.

The Mosquito Fire jumped back over the Middle Fork of the American River on Sept. 13, heading toward the Placer County towns of Todd Valley and Foresthill after gusty winds led spot fires to jump containment lines.

A new fire broke out Sept. 13 near the Placer County town of Dutch Flat, prompting evacuations and shutting down a 27-mile stretch of Interstate 80. Cal Fire reported the Dutch Fire at 30 acres and 30% contained as of 7 p.m.

On the morning of Sept. 13, firefighters were getting an edge on the Mosquito Fire, when the 49,761-acre forest fire was reported 18% contained. Damage assessment teams have identified 25 homes and 21 “minor” structures destroyed.

PG&E Corp. said Sept. 8 that fire investigators “placed caution tape” around a transmission pole near where the Mosquito Fire started. The utility said it hadn’t observed “damage or abnormal conditions” but filed a report with the PUC “out of an abundance of caution.”

The fire doubled in size Sept. 8, jumped the American River into El Dorado County and by the afternoon was moving in two directions, toward Foresthill and Volcanoville. Evacuations and road closures remain in place.

Speeding, reckless driving, and highway violence have all increased in Tahoe/Truckee in recent years, as more people move to the area and drivers increase their speeds.

Cal Fire Amador-El Dorado Unit Chief Mike Blankenheim told attendees at a community briefing on Sept. 8 that some structures in Volcanoville were lost. “I don’t have a good handle on it yet but it’s definitely not the whole community by any stretch,” he said.

Placer County has proclaimed a local emergency due to the Mosquito Fire. The conflagration has burned 6,870 acres and threatens more than 1,000 structures. Foresthill and nearby communities in Placer and El Dorado counties remain under evacuation orders and warnings.

Earlier this year, Placer County Resource Conservation District, with support from Cal Fire, developed the Placer Prescribed Burn Association to assist private landowners. Placer RCD recently received another $75,000 grant from Coalitions and Collaboratives, Inc.

The Colfax City Council continued discussions regarding parking restrictions on narrow residential streets. Next, city staff will draft an ordinance and the council will conduct a public hearing and public comment.

Toxic algae has been discovered in a creek on Lake Tahoe’s West Shore at strong enough levels in General Creek to trigger posted warning signs. Those enjoying the outdoors with pets should stay away from algae mats in the water.

The California Highway Patrol is marking the two-decade anniversary of the Amber Alert system. Hundreds of abducted children have been found and returned safely to their families following its implementation in 2002.

Dr. Ronald Li, a veterinarian at UC Davis, treated 23 cats rescued from the Tubbs fire in 2017. In addition to the expected traumatic injuries, something else caught Li’s attention. “We noticed clots forming within their hearts,” he said. “But at that time, we didn’t know why.”

The Placer County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution ratifying the receipt of funding for the French Meadows Ecological Restoration Project. The project aims to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire through fuel treatment.

The Wildfire and Public Safety Advisory Ad-Hoc Committee was the star of Auburn’s most recent City Council meeting. The volunteer group shared fire risk-reduction advice, presenting 23 risk-reduction recommendations focused on educating and equipping residents.

Placer County Resource Conservation District was recently awarded a grant by Cal Fire of more than $250,000. Funds will go to the Forestry and Natural Resources Career Mentorship Program, designed to be an entry point for students interested in forestry as a career.

Local agencies throughout the Tahoe region have banded together to educate residents on the importance of forest thinning and controlled fires. A recent press tour demonstrated that new state funding has allowed near completion of the thinning and burning efforts.

Senate Bill 1012, a law that will require California State Parks to restrict open fires, has been unanimously passed through the Committee of Water, Parks, and Wildlife. The bill instructs parks to work with the guidelines of local fire departments. The bill could appear before the full assembly in August.

After recently beginning its automated license plate reader program, the Auburn City Council has approved six more cameras. The devices have documented speeding vehicles and other traffic offenses and also helped solve a stabbing incident at the Auburn library.

With an increase in visitors expected this year, Auburn State Recreation Area is doubling its staff of swift-water lifeguards this year. The program began last year and was the first of its kind in California. A lifeguard tower is also being added to Lake Clementine this year to reduce safety risks in that area.

Pacific Gas & Electric pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter and other charges in connection with the Zogg Fire, which killed four people and destroyed hundreds of homes in Northern California two years ago. A preliminary hearing was set for January.