AUBURN, Calif. — The Placer County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ratified the county’s proclamation of a local emergency due to recent and forecast major winter storms.
The board’s action ratifies a proclamation made by the county’s director of emergency services Jan. 5.
Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a statewide state of emergency Jan. 4, requesting federal assistance to support the ongoing response to the storms. President Joe Biden signed a federal declaration of emergency for California on Jan. 8 and ordered federal assistance to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts.
“I want to thank all of our public safety officials who’ve worked tirelessly over these last several days, as well as our public works crews, who’ve been working hard around the clock to keep our roads clear,” said Board Chair and District 3 Supervisor Jim Holmes. “I’d also like to thank our Probation Department for their daily outreach to our unhoused population during the storms, and Health and Human and Services and The Gathering Inn, who expanded outreach and shelter services to help keep them safe and warm.”
On Dec. 26, the first in an ongoing series of winter storms impacted Placer County, producing significant rain, snow and wind and causing flooding, downed trees and power outages. January brought thunderstorms likely to trigger debris flows in the River Fire and Mosquito Fire burn scars.
State law allows local governments to proclaim a local emergency when disaster conditions overwhelm the capabilities of local services, personnel, equipment and facilities. The proclamation will aid the county in its efforts to seek state funding and support recovery operations throughout the county.
While the federal government has not yet declared a disaster for California that could authorize direct financial assistance to affected residents, Placer County requests those who’ve suffered damage to report it using an online survey, available here: www.placer.ca.gov/stormdamagesurvey.
The county intends to use the data to continue to advocate for all available support for impacted residents.