The Plumas County Board of Supervisors took the only option available under state law June 10: They adopted a resolution approving maps that dramatically increase the number of private parcels in “very high” severity fire hazard zones. Supervisor Jeff Engel voted no. Supervisor Dwight Ceresola was absent due to a health issue.
Included on the maps are Quincy and East Quincy, Chester and the Beckwourth Peak Fire District in Sierra Valley, all designated Local Responsibility Areas. The 3-1 vote puts 93% of those parcels in a fire hazard severity designation ranging from “moderate” (yellow on the maps) to “high” (orange) to “very high” (red).
The rest of the county — 75% of the parcels — is not rated under the current maps.
The supervisors first reviewed the maps developed and recommended by the state fire marshal March 10. They are designed to evaluate local wildfire hazard for the purposes of planning decisions and preparedness, said Ferguson. The supervisors directed her to alert property owners in the Local Responsibility Areas to the changes using every means possible. That included a direct mailing to owners of all the 2,695 parcels impacted by the changes.
The new designations increase the responsibilities for homeowners, Ferguson said. In a “high” zone they are required to disclose the level of fire hazard severity to potential buyers and others. Other required real estate disclosures include a natural hazards disclosure statement reporting if the property is in a “very high” hazard zone. The new maps also add that responsibility to homeowners in a “high” zone, Ferguson said. The graphic, provided by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, gives examples of minimum requirements for homeowners.
No action option
Before they adopted the resolution, the supervisors discussed the option of taking no action. The frustration they expressed at their June 3 meeting continued June 10. The state legislation allows them to increase fire hazard severity but not reduce it.
“If we don’t pass this regulation and tell the state what we think, it’s fine with me.”
Jeff Engel, Plumas County supervisor
“If we don’t pass this regulation and tell the state what we think, it’s fine with me,” Engel said,
Deciding not to adopt the maps is at the discretion of the board, said Plumas County Planning Director Tracey Ferguson. “It is unclear at the state level… if there is some type of consequence should the county not adopt locally,” she said.
“They will, I think, regardless, be the local state responsibility area hazard zones as far as the state is concerned and the Office of the State Fire Marshal,” Ferguson said. “It is state law.”
Other counties and boards of supervisors may not be going through with the adoption process, she added.
County counsel Joshua Brechtel offered no opinion on the no-action option, saying he would have to research the law before providing advice to the board.
Communicating frustration
The four-page resolution the supervisors adopted includes a clause expressing their frustration.
“Plumas County should have direction to decrease the fire hazard severity zone level for an LRA area.”
Plumas County Resolution 25-9023
“Plumas County should have direction to decrease the fire hazard severity zone level for an LRA area if findings can be made based on best available local data and inputs to the geospatial model to support it,” the resolution states.
The supervisors also directed a cover letter to accompany the adopted ordinance that conveys their concern about their limits under the law. The full packet must be submitted by July 10, said Ferguson.
Board of Supervisors Chairman Kevin Goss supported including both forms of objection. A benefit of taking action, he said, is to make the state aware of their frustration.
Engel was not mollified: “I never liked this whole process from the beginning… They shoved it down our throats with no input.”
In addition to adding a complaint in the resolution and an accompanying letter of objection, the supervisors are working with state legislators to draft an amendment to the government code mandating that they adopt the fire marshal’s maps. District 1 State Assemblymember Heather Hadwick and District 1 State Senator Megan Dahle support the amendment, which would allow more leeway for counties regarding fire hazard severity zones.
