Tahoe Truckee Region Public Safety Digest

The El Dorado County Grand Jury examined the county’s wildfire resiliency, specifically weighing in on County Ordinance 5101—the vegetation management ordinance. The Grand Jury found the Vegetation Management Office “lacked expertise and adequate resources to meet the objectives of the ordinance.”

After holding nearly all the positions at South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue over the past 20-plus years, Jim Drennan has been appointed fire chief. He will be sworn in Aug. 9.

Lake Tahoe Community College and local artist Shelley Zentner are partnering to host a one-year anniversary recognition of the Caldor Fire in the college’s Haldan Art Gallery. on Aug. 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the library building.

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.”

A new alert system is being rolled out for residents via the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, with messages sent to the community via phone, text, email, social media, and an app. The emergency alert system will be used for evacuation warnings and other urgent matters. To receive the alerts, sign up through the Office of Emergency Services.

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.

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.

El Dorado County has been awarded $3.3 million in fire prevention funds. which includes funding to remove timber from last year's Caldor Fire.

Fire restrictions are now in place for the City of South Lake Tahoe, beginning June 1 and continuing until further notice. No charcoal or wood fires are permitted within the city limits, with neighboring fire districts also expected to release similar restrictions shortly.

El Dorado County Fire Protection District’s public protection classification service rating will shift to Class 3 from Class 4, effective Aug. 1. The district is rated on a number of factors, and the lower the number, the better.

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.

Due to dry, hot conditions, Cal Fire has suspended all burn permits for outdoor residential burning within Alpine, Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento and San Joaquin counties. The ban, which went into effect May 23, continues until further notice.

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.

In the wake of the devastating Caldor Fire, Sierra-at-Tahoe is looking to the future and rebuilding the popular resort. Working closely with officials and developing new safety measures, the resort was unable to open for the 2021-22 season, but is hopeful for next winter.

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.

Fire agencies are evaluating the amount of resources available as California faces the potential of another large fire season. Officials have assured residents there is enough water, along with other essential resources.

The Nevada Department of Transportation will soon begin construction of a new traffic signal on U.S. Highway 50 at Warrior Way, which provides access to two schools and Zephyr Cove Park. An advance signal warning light will be installed to alert drivers and striping and lighting will also be slightly modified.

The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District has resources available for creating defensible space, all at no cost to Tahoe Douglas fire area residents. For guidance, schedule a Defensible Space Inspection.

Fire Chief Clive Savacool has submitted his resignation, effective May 6. Savacool will be out on remaining paid time off in the interim, during which time Battalion Chief Jim Drennan will serve as acting chief.

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.

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.

The Truckee office of the California Highway Patrol is recruiting for its Senior Volunteer program. The ideal candidate is a community minded person with a desire to assist CHP in providing public service to the greater Truckee area.

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office is recruiting volunteers for the Sheriff’s Team of Active Retirees. The spring STAR Academy will run from March 21-31.

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Academy is now taking applications. The academy aims to familiarize local residents with different aspects of law enforcement and the role the Sheriff’s Office plays in the community.

Partners of the French Meadows Forest Restoration Project have wrapped up the third consecutive season of forest treatments in the Tahoe National Forest. The partnership treated roughly 1,000 acres using a combination of mastication, thinning, and prescribed fires.

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.