Placer County Public Safety Digest

Auburn's City Council has reviewed the Capital Improvement Program, which focuses on eight key areas: the Auburn Airport, wastewater and treatment collection, transportation programs, transit programs, public safety and general facilities, energy solutions, broadband, and general planning in support of capital.

Residents are getting an annual refresher on what to do if they see or smell smoke, including an emphasis on calling 911 if you see a potential fire.

Red flag warning issued for Sacramento Valley; elevated fire conditions expected for Bay Area.

The increasing risk of fire during this summer's drought has prompted Cal Fire to suspend burn permits for a variety of counties, including Placer, Nevada, and Yuba.

Efforts have been made to explain red flag warnings to residents—including what to do and what not to do when it comes to wildfire prevention.

As Lincoln grows and develops rapidly, the city is looking at designing a new traffic safety system for residents and law enforcement.

Meeks Bay Fire Protection District is set to be annexed by North Tahoe Fire Protection District in Placer County. The district, which ranges from Emerald Bay to Tahoma in the Tahoe Basin, was one of several local districts to be rated as “limited” in its resources.

California and Nevada are experiencing a third year of drought, and the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team is attempting to get ahead of wildfires through an awareness campaign.

One person was killed and four others were critically wounded at Geneva Presbyterian Church in the city of Laguna Woods. When deputies arrived, parishioners had the gunman hog-tied and in custody.

The Newcastle Fire Protection District is finally getting a new house. The community gathered April 12 for a groundbreaking ceremony for the new fire station .

This year figures to be a bad one for California wildfires. The driest regions include parts of the North Bay area and the northern Sacramento Valley, each devastated by major fires since 2017.

The state auditor blasted the regulators who oversee wildfire safety at California’s major electric utilities, saying they signed off on flawed safety plans. He said the California Public Utilities Commission and the recently formed Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety haven’t gone far enough in demanding safety reforms from utilities.

The annual Sierra Nevada Watershed Improvement Program Summit brought together California leaders, scientists, and community and tribal leaders to discuss strategies for wildfire recovery and resilience.

Roseville City Council unanimously voted to approve an ordinance adopting a military equipment policy. The Roseville police will gain access to mapping equipment, robots, and other supplies that have not been previously available.

Two California congressional representatives, Tom McClintock and Doug LaMalfa, have introduced legislation directing the U.S. Forest Service to suppress wildfires on national forest system lands and end the policy of letting fires burn.

Residents can begin their wildfire preparation journey by viewing educational Zoom workshops presented during the 2021 Lake Tahoe Wildfire Awareness Campaign. This campaign featured different workshops on how residents can reduce wildfire risk.

Placer County residents or visitors in the area can now send text messages to 911 during emergencies if they are unable to speak to dispatchers on the phone. The text messaging function gives hearing and speech-impaired residents the ability to communicate.

The Placer County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution to accept California Fire Safe Council Coordinators Grant funding. The goal of the grant is to educate, encourage and develop countywide collaboration among wildfire mitigation groups.

Short term rentals have caused strife and frustration for many Placer County residents, and a moratorium has placed a pause on them while solutions are found.

The U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire, El Dorado Irrigation District and the El Dorado County Resource Conservation District gave a presentation on the Caldor Fire. The meeting was recorded and can be watched online.

The BEAR League, Sustain Tahoe, the Conservation Society of California and an anonymous foundation have come together to produce and distribute a special magnetic sticker reminding residents and visitors the importance of properly securing trash and not feeding the bears.

If you live in Roseville, you might’ve noticed a green tinge to your tap water this week. Is it safe? Health officials say yes, as the color change is due to organic reservoir material.

California State Parks officials approved a plan on Sept. 30 to expand public access to the Auburn State Recreational Area by allowing more campsites.

The Caldor Fire, which began ravaging the Lake Tahoe region two months ago, is officially contained. This does not mean the fire is completely extinguished, but rather it means firefighters have constructed a perimeter effective against any further spread.

The Meeks Bay and North Tahoe fire districts operate under a functional consolidation, meaning that they act together when offering services but operate as separate fire districts. Now, the two are looking into potentially merging.

Placer County officials approved an increase to the fire impact fee for the South Placer Fire District. The fee applies to new residences and commercial structures in the district’s service area, which includes Granite Bay, Loomis, Penryn and Newcastle.

Even though not a single structure burned in the city of South Lake Tahoe, a preliminary estimate shows that the Caldor Fire cost tens of millions in lost economic activity to the region. But is that really the total? Experts believe it’s not clear how much fires cost the state each year.

Firefighters and numerous studies credit intensive forest thinning projects with helping save communities near wildlands. But some environmental advocates say data from recent conflagrations show such efforts accelerate wildfire.

Despite local concern over increased fire risks, the California State Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously to adopt a general plan for the Auburn State Recreation Area that provides long-term management direction for the 30,000-acre state park.

The Shasta County district attorney’s office has filed 31 criminal charges against Pacific Gas & Electric for its role in the 2020 Zogg fire, which killed four people.

According to Cal Fire, the Bridge Fire in Auburn—which ignited Sept. 5 in the Confluence near the Foresthill Bridge—was caused by arson.

Though much of the U.S. Forest Service lands have reopened, the Eldorado National Forest emergency closure will continue due to ongoing hazards associated with the Caldor Fire.