Some 1,000 PG&E customers got power back today in Nevada County, leaving 14,220 (at publication time) without utility power for a sixth day. The road situation continues to improve, with county public works crews continuing to open roads, assisted by private contractors hired by the county who also remove debris on private roads.

Major issues persist for residents without power, heat, phone/internet access. Out of the over 200 reports we received so far today, 76 reported no landline service, 106 had no internet/cable. The entire Town of Washington has no landlines or internet and only a fraction of homes are being powered by a large generator. Landlines are also reported down in North San Juan.

In rural areas, where cell towers only cover a fraction of residents, not having a working landline means no ability to call 911 in an emergency or 211 for immediate needs.

Several residents of mobile home parks (each mobile home park counts as one customer for the utility no matter how many people live in the park) reached out and described their situation as dire via our reporting form. No heat since Sunday or Monday and no ability to cook a warm meal.

We requested a status update from PG&E which reads, in part:

We continue to work to safely and as quickly as possible to restore power to the remaining 32,000 customers and have deployed and will continue to provide temporary generation to several locations including hospitals, warming centers, and substations to provide power to customers while we make repairs to damaged equipment.

We flew 8 helicopters in the 3 counties where we still have electrical impacts that will help us speed up the assessments and restoration process. We have assessed approx. 1,700 locations where there is damage to electrical equipment and 760 of them are in Placer County, 700 in Nevada County and 300 in El Dorado County.

We’ve so far identified 400 power poles that need to be replaced, with nearly 200 of them located in Placer County.

Many Grass Valley and Colfax customers will have power by midnight tomorrow, Sunday, but it will be several days for other customers, as we continue to access our equipment, make assessments and repairs.

PG&E is also supporting both County and regional Red Cross efforts to open warming shelters to assist customers in need.

To help provide assistance, PG&E has also partnered with the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers who is implementing the Disability Disaster Access & Resource (DDAR) program. FREED, an independent living center apart of the DDAR program, may be able to provide customers with disabilities, independent living needs, and older adults with hotels, transportations and gift cards for generators.

Customers in Nevada, Placer and El Dorado counties who would like to request support can call PG&E at 1-800-477-3333 and PG&E will send a referral to FREED.

To support our customers in the Georgetown Divide, we have also opened up a location where we are offering go bags with a blanket, battery charger, snacks and a water bottle. That is at the Marshall Grange Hall in Garden Valley, 4940 Marshall Rd in Garden Valley. It opened at 3pm and will remain open until 7pm tonight. Tomorrow it will be open from 10am – 5pm, Sunday, This is in addition to the 5 PG&E community resource centers (CRC’s).

January 1, 2022 at 9:24 PM Editor’s note: The 800 number listed in PG&E’s news release is incorrect. Call 211 or PG&E’s main number 1-800-743-5000 instead.

Propane deliveries, or the lack thereof, are an equally pressing problem. 68 readers reported being either low or critically low/out of propane.

Firewood piles are getting low for woodstove users, but there is the beginning of a solution. Nevada County is working to set up a firewood distribution site, in collaboration with the Fire Safe Council, to cut up and split seasoned wood. Removal of trees by the contractors will replenish the stockpile for next year. More details on that to follow soon.

Freezing temperatures are forecast again overnight, with daytime foothill high temperatures in the low 40s to low 50s and mountain temperatures in the 20s to 30s.

Four perishable food disposable sites are set up:

  • Eric Rood Administration Center – 950 Maidu Avenue, Nevada City (behind the jail)
  • Nevada County Operations Center – 12350 La Barr Meadows, Grass Valley
  • Condon Park – 544 Butler Street, Grass Valley
  • DeVere Mautino Park – 10609 Alta Street, Grass Valley

If you can, report progress and damage using our form. We share the information with Nevada County’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) and they in turn use every resource at their disposal to allocate crews, non-profits and county staff.

Are you are a vendor or business that offers needed services such as snow plowing, firewood, or tree removal? Please let 211 know by calling 1-833-DIAL211 know as we work to connect residents with available services.

The County is partnering with 211 to maintain a list of gas stations, grocery stores, and hardware stores that are currently open to the public. Please call 211 for more information. Just dial 2-1-1 or 1-833-DIAL211. Do you own or manage a local business that is currently selling essentials like gas, food, ice, and water? Please let 211 know by filling out this simple form.

Overnight shelters are set up at the following locations:

First Baptist Church
1866 Ridge Rd, Grass Valley, CA 95945
Supported by Red Cross

Open Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Service animals allowed. No pets allowed.

Includes:

  • Heat
  • Power & charging stations
  • Food
  • Showers

Please call 211 at 1-833-DIAL211 for additional transportation information.· 

Nevada City Veterans Hall (lower level)
415 North Pine Street, Nevada City, CA 95959
Supported by Sierra Roots

Open through Tuesday morning.

Includes:

  • Heat
  • Power & charging stations
  • Food
  • Beds and blankets

Please call 211 at 1-833-DIAL211 for additional transportation information.

Church of the Mountains
10079 Church Street Truckee, CA

Find more information from North Tahoe-Truckee Homeless Services

Warming Center

Madelyn Helling Library
Open 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Saturday

Open 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Sunday

Check on your neighbors if you can

If you have resources like food, water, wood, gas, or the ability to assist with driveway clearing, etc., please check in with your neighbors who may be alone, remote, or need extra help. This community always comes through during wildfires, let’s bundle up and help each other. Stay safe.