|
September 2026
Join the Placer County Fire Safe Alliance for the Firewise Renewal Workshop on Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. Learn how to complete your renewal application, use the reporting tool and connect with other Firewise community leaders. In-person attendees do not need to register. Bring your laptop and renewal documentation to receive hands-on assistance.
Location: Health and Human Services Center, Cordova Room, 11434 B Avenue, Auburn.
To attend virtually, register for the Zoom meeting. Register/Join
By Annie Barbour, Recovery Coordinator, United Policyholders
A renters insurance policy offers renters a safety net that many do not fully understand. The average price of renters insurance in Placer County ranges from about $145 to $180 a year, so $12-$18 a month. Bundling this insurance with your auto insurance may even give you a bit of a discount. You will want to make sure that your coverage includes personal property, liability, theft and loss of use.
If you are evacuated from your home and have to get a hotel room, this insurance should cover that and the increased price of your food (due to you being out of your home) for a time limit or a dollar limit. It would be reimbursed after filing a claim and submitting your receipts. If you had a total loss it would cover your contents up to your limits in your policy. You would have to make a list of everything that is lost and then you will receive a depreciated value of your personal property. I recommend that you video or take pictures of all of your contents so you have a record of it. There is also a website that is free, Bevelmade.com, where you can upload those pictures and AI will capture what is in the pictures and price everything. That’s also a great way to know how much you should set your personal property limits.
Your loss of use would help you get into temporary housing until you can secure long-term housing. Call your car insurance agent and see if by bundling your insurance you would receive a discount. Simply googling renters insurance may give you more options with different dollar limits. Again, make sure it covers personal property, liability, theft and loss of use. Learn more on United Policyholders’ website.
HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE
There are four types of homeowners insurance policies that you need to know about.
Admitted carrier: Known names, Farmers, AAA, State Farm etc. These companies are regulated by the California Department of Insurance and pay into an insolvency plan so that if they go bankrupt you will still get up to $500,000 on an open claim.
Non-admitted carrier: They are not regulated by the California Department of Insurance and if they file for bankruptcy you will have to wait in line with all the other creditors to see if you can get anything.
California Fair Plan: The carrier of last resort. They are an admitted carrier so they are regulated by the California Department of Insurance. Tends to be expensive and you will need an additional policy for liability, water and theft. Out of the box it is just fire insurance but you have the option of adding fair rental coverage, contents, debris removal, code upgrades, etc. for an additional cost.
Lender-placed policy: This is put in place by your mortgage company when you fail to supply them with proof of insurance. You will receive a letter that lets you know that this has been put on your mortgage and that you are paying for it and that you should find other insurance as it should be cheaper and cover more. This policy ONLY covers your MORTGAGE! No personal property, loss of use, code upgrades, etc.
By Katie Low, Statewide Coordinator - UC ANR Fire Network
UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and Placer County Office of Emergency Services would like to share the Placer County Firewise Community Volunteer Reporting Tool! This free, voluntary tool is designed for Firewise Community members and leaders to digitally report their volunteer hours and activities in real time, providing residents with a straightforward way to report their volunteer hours.
This tool can also assist Firewise Community leaders when reporting is due; UCCE will compile all the data for your community for the year and send it to you in a summarized format. The survey tool will also store the data indefinitely, allowing communities to track changes in volunteer investments and activities over time and use these metrics in grant applications or reports. Note: All information submitted to this survey will only be used by Firewise Community leads for NFPA-related reporting and by UCCE and Placer OES for internal use and planning. Personal information or individual residential activities will not be shared without consent.
The survey tool is run through ArcGIS Survey123. This survey can be completed on your computer, smartphone, or tablet in under 5 minutes – you just need access to the internet.
Watch a tutorial about how to use the tool
For questions, please email Katie Low.
These workshops will offer one-on-one assistance, a reporting tool demonstration, networking opportunities and the chance to start your renewal application. It is encouraged to bring your laptop and any renewal paperwork or worksheets you have.
Upcoming dates include:
- Placer West Fire Safe Council on Sept. 2 at 5:30 p.m. Information
- Foresthill/Iowa Hill Fire Safe Council on Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m., Information
- Fire Safe Alliance meeting Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m., (hybrid meeting in person and virtual via Zoom) Information
- Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council on Sept. 18. at 9 a.m., Information
- Virtual Zoom workshop on Sept 22 at 4 p.m., Information
- Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council on Sept. 24 at 6 p.m., Information
All workshops are open to all area residents, so please attend the one that best fits your schedule.
For more information, contact fireready@placer.ca.gov, call 530-886-FIRE (3473), or visit our Firewise USA Community webpage.
By Michael Haran, Community Specialist, North Tahoe Fire Protection District
This fall, North Tahoe Fire Protection District will begin implementation of the Vedanta Forest Fuels Reduction Project, an 186-acre fuels reduction project in Carnelian Bay. The project is designed to reduce hazardous fuels, improve forest health and strengthen wildfire resilience across a key section of the wildland-urban interface.
Project Highlights
- Location: Carnelian Bay, along the Highway 28 corridor.
- Project size: 186 acres.
- Treatment methods: Hand thinning of hazardous vegetation, removal of ladder fuels and other forest health treatments to reduce wildfire intensity.
- Goals: Reduce hazardous fuels, improve forest health and create a more resilient landscape for surrounding communities.
Why This Project Matters
- Connects with several existing Fire Adapted Communities and Firewise sites, including:
- Old County Firewise
- Carnelian Heights Firewise
- Cedar Flat Firewise
- Ridgewood Highlands Firewise
- Carnelian Woods Firewise
- Agate Bay Firewise
- Complements the years of defensible space and home hardening work completed by residents throughout these neighborhoods.
- Creates a larger, more continuous area of reduced fuels by connecting neighborhood mitigation efforts with landscape-scale forest treatments.
- Supports previous and planned U.S. Forest Service and State fuels reduction projects in adjacent areas - specifically, a pile burn in 2013, hand thin projects in 2017, and biomass removal in 2021, helping build a coordinated network of wildfire mitigation across multiple land ownerships.
- Helps reduce potential wildfire intensity, improve firefighter access and suppression opportunities, and better protect homes, infrastructure, and evacuation routes.
Working Together
Wildfire resilience is most effective when homeowners, local agencies and land managers work together. While residents continue creating defensible space around their homes, North Tahoe Fire is expanding those efforts into the surrounding forest. Projects like Vedanta demonstrate how coordinated mitigation across neighborhoods and public lands creates safer, healthier and more fire-resilient communities.
Learn more about the Vedanta Forest Fuels Reduction Project
By Kelsey Stalker, Tahoe Resource Conservation District
When we live in fire-adapted ecosystems, living with smoke is an unfortunate reality. Understanding the risks of smoke and knowing how to protect ourselves can help us stay healthy and prepared.
Wildfire can burn forests and the built environment, releasing hazardous particulates that pose health risks to those exposed. Smoke can severely impact people with underlying health conditions, children, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations. Seeing or smelling smoke can also trigger stress, anxiety and even PTSD.
Thankfully, there are easy things we can do to take care of ourselves and our loved ones. Checking air quality maps for your area can help you understand current conditions, inform you of the level of risk, and monitoring smoke projections can give you an idea of what to expect in the coming days. Purple Air, AirNow.gov, and the Tahoe Smoke Forecast Map are a few trusted sources for real-time smoke updates.
If the air quality index, or AQI, is moderate or higher, limiting your exposure by wearing an N95 respirator, staying indoors and filtering air when possible, can all help. For extended periods indoors, books, games, cards, and fun or challenging activities can help keep the mind and body engaged. Drinking plenty of water and using eye drops also ensures you stay hydrated and comfortable during these periods.
Smoke can also be a sign that fire conditions are changing, and evacuation may become necessary. Sign up for Placer Alert emergency alerts and consider using tools like Watch Duty to monitor fire conditions. Keep your evacuation go-bag ready, including N95 masks and water, so you are able to stay safe if evacuated.
While smoke can cause negative health impacts and linger longer than we’d like it to, wildfires end and the smoke clears. Building resiliency in wildfire ecosystems means taking care of ourselves alongside the forests and communities we call home. Being engaged, informed and prepared helps us all become better fire adapted stewards.
Learn more about preparing for wildfire at Tahoelivingwithfire.com.
Explore additional smoke safety resources
Living with Smoke | Tahoe Living With Fire
Toxic Smoke — Tahoe Clean Air
Wildfire Smoke and Health | Tahoe Forest Health System
Are you passionate about protecting your community from wildfire? Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council is seeking a new member! Fire Safe Councils are community-based groups that help reduce wildfire risk through education, outreach and local action. As a council member, you’ll collaborate with neighbors, local fire departments and Placer County’s Office of Emergency Services to make our community safer and more resilient.
Council members:
- Attend and participate in regular meetings
- Support community clean-up and defensible space projects
- Help engage the public through outreach and events
- Uphold transparency and ethical standards in local wildfire preparedness
The Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council has an opening.
How to apply:
- Complete the application form.
- Submit your completed application to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors for consideration.
- Applications must be fully completed and sent to:
Questions? Contact us at fireready@placer.ca.gov or 530-886-FIRE (3473).
Join Firewise Community Virtual Office Hours via Zoom on the first Thursday of every month, 9 to 10:30 a.m. Join the Zoom meeting
For more information regarding the Firewise Program, visit our Firewise USA Community webpage, email fireready@placer.ca.gov, or call 530-886-FIRE (3473).
Kings Beach Firewise Community meeting, Sept. 1, 6 - 7 p.m. Information
Firewise Renewal Workshop at Placer West Fire Safe Council on Sept. 2, at 5:30 p.m. Information
Firewise Renewal Workshop at Foresthill/Iowa Hill Fire Safe Council on Sept. 15, at 5:30 p.m. Information
Firewise Renewal Workshop at Fire Safe Alliance on Sept. 17, at 5:30 p.m., (hybrid meeting in person and virtual via Zoom) Information
Firewise Renewal Workshop at Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council on Sept. 18, at 9 a.m. Information
Firewise Renewal Workshop via Zoom on Sept. 22, at 4 p.m. Information
Firewise Renewal Workshop at Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council on Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. Information
First Responders Fire Safety Fair, Oct 3, 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Information
Rocklin Fire Department Open House, Oct. 4, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Information
Placer West Fire Safe Council meeting, Sept. 2, 5:30 p.m. Information
Virtual Office Hours - Firewise USA Program, Sept. 3, 9 a.m. -10:30 a.m. Information
Foresthill / Iowa Hill Fire Safe Council meeting, Sept. 15, 5:30 p.m. Information
Truckee Fire Firewise Virtual Office Hours: Renewals Workshop, Sept. 16, 3 - 4:30 p.m. Information
Placer County Fire Safe Alliance meeting, Sept. 17, 6 p.m. Information
Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council meeting, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. Information
North Auburn Ophir Fire Safe Council meeting, Sept. 22, 4 p.m. Information
Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council meeting, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. Information
Virtual Office Hours - Firewise USA Program, Oct. 1, 9 -10:30 a.m. Information
Placer West Fire Safe Council meeting, Oct. 7, 5:30 p.m. Information
Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council meeting, Oct. 16, 9. a.m. Information
Foresthill / Iowa Hill Fire Safe Council Meeting, Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m. Information
Truckee Fire Firewise Virtual Office Hours: Risk Assessments & Action Plans, Oct. 21, 3 - 4:30 p.m. Information
Placer Sierra Fire Safe Council meeting, October 22, 6 p.m. Information
North Auburn Ophir Fire Safe Council meeting, Oct. 27, 4 p.m. Information
|
