River Fire Resources Placer County

Click on any link below to view the most relevant section of this webpage for information you are looking for.

Alerts | Evacuations | Transportation | Vision | Food | Showers | Utilities | Air Quality | Recovery | How to Help | Information Sources

Call 2-1-1 for more information.

ALERTS

PLACER ALERTS

To SIGN UP for Placer Alerts, visit www.placer-alert.org.

EVACUATIONS

EVACUATION MAP

To see an interactive map of the evacuation area for Placer County (including incident-specific zones for the River Fire) view the PCSO River Fire evacuation map.

CALFIRE MAP

Cal Fire statewide fire map & incident information here.

EVACUATION CENTERS

There are no Temporary Evacuation Points & Congregate Shelters currently open for River Fire evacuees.

IF ALL ARE CLOSED: SHELTER OPTIONS FROM RED CROSS

If you are under a mandatory Evacuation Order and Temporary Evacuation Points are closed, you can call Red Cross 24/7 at 1-844-236-0153.

ANIMAL EVACUATIONS

  • For animal evacuations: Contact Placer County Animal Services Center at 530-886-5500. Dial extension 2.
  • For evacuees: Evacuees requiring support with animals are encouraged to seek boarding, hotel or other options. If additional support is needed, small or large animals can be taken to the Placer County Animal Services Center at 11232 B Avenue Auburn, CA 95603. Hours will be extended for the duration of the event or until advised that they are no longer needed.

EVACUATION STATUS LEVELS

  • Evacuation Order – An immediate threat to life. This is a lawful order to leave now. The area is lawfully closed to public access.
  • Evacuation Warning – A potential threat to life and/or property. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock should leave now.
  • Advisory – A notice to be on alert and follow county recommendations.
  • Clear To Repopulate – It is safe to return to your home. Be aware of your surroundings and go through the returning home checklist.
  • Shelter In Place – An order to go indoors. Shut and lock doors and windows. Prepare to self-sustain until further notice and/or contacted by emergency personnel for additional direction.
  • Normal – There is no current knowledge of threats affecting your area and that you can carry on with normal activity.

TRANSPORTATION

Call 911 if you are stuck in an Evacuation ORDER zone without a way of transportation and there is an immediate threat to your life.

Call 211 if you are in an Evacuation WARNING zone and you are in need of transportation.

ROAD CLOSURES

Call CalTrans for information on road closures and updates on road conditions: 1-800-427-7623

HOW TO FIND PEOPLE

  • When people are in American Red Cross (ARC) care at shelters, ARC observes strict confidentiality and will not release names of clients
  • Evacuees can register themselves on a public ARC website called Safe and Well. INFORMATION IS PUBLIC.
  • ARC has information about Emergency! App (English and Spanish) and more here.
  • Tips for finding people / contacting loved ones here.

VISION

If you’ve lost or broken your eyewear or need eye care due to a recent fire, VSP may be able to help.

  • Visit VSP’s website for more information here.
  • VSP Network Doctors: Call 1-800-615-1883 to learn about resources available to you.
  • VSP Members: Call 1-800-877-7195.
  • Non-VSP Members: Contact a local Red Cross chapter (find a local Red Cross chapter here) to request a VSP Eyes of Hope Disaster Relief gift certificate. Gift certificate information is available here.

FOOD

PLACER FOOD BANK

For a list of food distributions in Placer County, visit Placer Food Bank’s Get Food webpage.

CALFRESH

Have you been impacted by a recent disaster and need food assistance or additional information on Disaster CalFresh or general CalFresh emergency response efforts?

Contact Placer County Human Services:

  • Toll free: 1-888-385-5160
  • Hotline: 1-888-886-5401
  • Business Line: 1-916-784-6000

If you are a current CalFresh recipient affected by the disaster you may be eligible to receive replacement benefits for food bought with CalFresh that was lost as a result of a disaster. Replacement must be requested within 10 days of the disaster. Please contact Placer County for additional information on how to request supplemental disaster benefits or use the following link to apply: www.getcalfresh.org/replace.

If you are not a CalFresh recipient affected by the disaster, you may meet the household eligibility requirements for CalFresh. You can apply online at www.mybenefitscalwin.org, via phone at 1-888-385-5160, or visit one of Placer County’s office locations (in Auburn, Rocklin, or Lake Tahoe).

SHOWERS

Showers are available at most gyms for a cost of $10 or $15 for one day use pass. There may be other options available such as a 7 consecutive days pass, or a 10 visit pass. Costs vary. Once you’ve evacuated and/or are at a safe location, call the gym closest to you to ask whether that gym’s location has been impacted by the fire and if showers are available.

UTILITIES

Contact PG&E to:

  • Ask about bill payment assistance
  • Immediately stop service
  • Learn more about power restoration, financial support and the rebuilding process

Call Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) at 1-800-743-5000 or visit PG&E’s Wildfire Recovery Support webpage for more information.

AIR QUALITY

AIR QUALITY DATA

AirNow is a website for air quality data. It highlights air quality in your local area first, and also provides air quality information with state, national, and world views. An interactive map lets you zoom out to get the big picture or drill down to see data for a single air quality monitor.

CREATE A CLEAN ROOM FOR AIR QUALITY

Info from the Environmental Protection Agency about how to create a clean room to protect indoor air quality during a wildfire is here.

MASKS FOR WILDFIRE SMOKE

To protect your lungs from smoky air, choose a mask called a particulate respirator that has the word “NIOSH” and either “N95” or “P100” printed on it. These are sold at many hardware and home repair stores and pharmacies. California Department of Public Health provides more information here.

RECOVERY

Call 211 or 833-342-5211 or see below for information and available resources to support your recovery. You may also visit Placer County’s River Fire Recovery webpage.

RECOVERY INFORMATION

FEMA’s Recovering from Disaster guide offers advice for you and your family on safety, health, and mental well-being after a disaster. This guide offers tips about returning home, seeking help, coping, and helping others.

FEMA’s Helping Children Cope with Disaster booklet offers parents, caregivers, and other adults suggestions on how to help children cope with the effects of disaster, as well as how to be prepared before a disaster strikes.

For recovery information from Placer County officials, visit Placer County’s River Fire Recovery webpage.

If you’d like to speak to a live person about recovery information and other resources in Placer County or Nevada County that may be able to help you, call 2-1-1 or 833-342-5211. Our Contact Center is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

FEDERAL AND STATE INFORMATION

Federal – On August 24, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. approves California Disaster Declaration. The President’s action makes Federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Lassen, Nevada, Placer, and Plumas.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can apply for assistance by the following means:

  • Register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov
  • Call FEMA’s Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 (1-800-621-FEMA)
  • If you are hearing and speech impaired and use a text telephone (TTY), you may call 1-800-462-7585 (TTY)
  • If you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), please use the standard toll-free FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362

The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 am to 10 pm (local Pacific Standard Time) seven days a week until further notice. General questions or comments about FEMA disaster assistance for individuals and families can be emailed to askia@fema.dhs.gov.

For more information on the California Disaster Declaration visit the White House’s Statement and Releases webpage here.

State of California – Office of Emergency Services

  • General Cal OES information here.
  • 2021 Current Incidents here.

RETURNING HOME AFTER A WILDFIRE

  • Call 2-1-1 or 833-342-5211 (833-DIAL211) to get on a contact list to receive a call from a Placer County official about the status of your home or property i.e., whether it was damaged due to the River Fire.
  • See resources at Cal Fire’s Post Wildfire: Returning Home and Rebuilding webpages. Cal Fire’s Returning Home webpage includes safety tips. Cal Fire’s Rebuilding webpage includes information on what to do before cleaning up following a wildfire, and key considerations for determining which approach to use (such as a government-run debris removal program).
  • See Cal Fire’s Returning Home after a Wildfire checklist.
  • Read Placer County’s Hazards Advisory.
  • Contact Placer County Environmental Health to ensure that your property is declared clear of hazardous waste and structural ash and debris.
    • Auburn: 530-745-2300 or environmentalhealth@placer.ca.gov
    • Tahoe: 530-581-6240 or envhealthtahoe@placer.ca.gov
    • Complete a Right of Entry (ROE) permit application here. Property Owners must complete a Right-of-Entry (ROE) Permit Application for Debris and/or Hazard Tree Removal on Private Property and provide necessary paperwork (outlined in the ROE permit application) to enroll in the Government program. Please only submit ONE application per property.
    • If you would like to withdraw from the Consolidated Debris Removal Program after submission of your ROE form, contact Placer County Environmental Health at environmentalhealth@placer.ca.gov or 530-745-2300 to obtain an ROE withdrawal form. ROE withdrawal forms must be received prior to commencement of debris removal on your property. ROE withdrawal forms may take up to 3 business days to process.
  • For more tips on returning home, visit Placer County’s Returning Home after the River Fire webpage.
  • For current emergency information, visit the Placer County Office of Emergency Services (OES) Current Emergency Information webpage.

CLEANUP AFTER A FIRE GUIDELINES

DO NOT begin debris removal before contacting County officials: Environmental Health and Building Services. If you start to clean up before contacting your insurance agent and County officials, you may become ineligible for types of financial support. There are also issues about how to safely dispose of debris that you can be made aware of. The County helps advise on all of this.

FIRE RETARDANT CLEANUP

From US Forest Service

IF YOUR HOME/PROPERTY IS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED

If your house is damaged or destroyed there is financial assistance available through the local Red Cross.

  • Contact 1-855-755-7711
  • Provide official documents for identification purposes (Including your name and address)
  • IF you’ve lost your identity documents, please allow for extra time as the process will take longer

There are two options for receiving cash from Red Cross, as follows:

Option 1) Applicants receive Red Cross funds online (sent to an applicant’s email). For this option, you will need to have access to a device with internet access and an email.

Option 2) Applicants can choose to go to a Walmart location to pick up the cash. Identity and address documentation is required.

If you know for certain that you have lost your home in a disaster, call the American Red Cross at 1-844-236-0153 any time, 24/7. ARC can open a case file and there may be resources available through ARC to help.

FIRE DAMAGES

For information regarding damages that resulted from the River Fire, call Placer Risk Management at 530-886-2600.

INSURANCE CLAIMS

If you are a resident who lost your home or experienced fire damage to your home or property, contact the California Department of Insurance (CDI) and your insurance agent before removing anything or doing any clean-up on your property. Cleaning up prior to contacting your insurance company could result in a loss of insurance claims.

See the CDI’s Top 10 Tips for Wildfire Claimants.

INSURANCE COVERAGE MAY HELP WITH EVACUATION COSTS

Residents who have been ordered to evacuate due to wildfires may have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance coverage to help with evacuation and relocation costs, even if their homes are not damaged or destroyed. Additional Living Expense coverage, known as ALE, typically includes food and housing costs, furniture rental, relocation and storage, and extra transportation expenses. Residents are urged to keep all receipts accrued during the evacuation and to contact their insurance company to start the claims process.

CITY OF COLFAX: REIMBURSEMENT OF TEMPORARY SHELTER COSTS

The City of Colfax has established a $10,000 fund to help Colfax City residents pay for temporary shelter accrued during the recent mandatory evacuation orders. These funds are disbursed by LOTTERY. Applications will be accepted until 8/31/21 or until the funding is exhausted.

You may qualify for up to a $500 maximum benefit per household if you meet the following requirements:

  1. Your residence is within the red mandatory evacuation area and your property is within Colfax City limits.
  2. You incurred temporary shelter/lodging expenses during the evacuation period of August 4th–6th. (Verification of expense receipts will be required.)

Please submit an Emergency Lodging Reimbursement Request here.

If you are not within the city limits of Colfax, this form also provides the opportunity to submit your info. so that the City of Colfax can share it with Placer County and so that all community members in need can be identified for the purpose of providing aid.

Direct any questions to City Hall at (530) 346-2313 or email accounting@colfaxca.gov.

PLACER COUNTY: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Auburn Chamber of Commerce is collecting applications from those affected by the River Fire on the Placer County side. Some examples of who these funds are available for include anyone that was evacuated or who lost everything due to the River Fire.

If you were impacted by the River Fire or if you know someone who was impacted, fill out a request form here.

To donate, visit ACC’s River Fire Donation page here.

USPS MAIL DELIVERY

The USPS holds mail for people affected by evacuations. Delivery will resume when evacuation orders are lifted. People can collect mail any time at the Post Office by presenting a picture ID.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TALK TO?

The National Disaster Distress Helpline is a multilingual, confidential helpline that offers crisis support services available to all U.S. disaster survivors or responders, 24/7, 365 days a year. To connect with a trained counselor:

  • Call 1-800-985-5990
  • Text 66746
  • For Spanish speaking callers, call 1-800-985-5990 and dial 2 for 24/7 bilingual support.

For more information, including access for anyone who is deaf/hard of hearing or a Spanish speaker, please visit SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress webpage here.

HOW TO HELP

AMERICAN RED CROSS

Wanting to help during the River Fire? The American Red Cross is accepting donations and is in need of new volunteers to help us respond to the wildfires.

  • Volunteer information here.
  • Donations are accepted here.

PLACER COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES CENTER

For donations and volunteer opportunities:

*Mail/delivery is preferred versus dropoff donations to avoid congestion at the Animal Services Center and potential impacts to operations. Volunteer needs are currently filled but email smullane@placer.ca.gov to be placed on a contact list.

PLACER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

The Placer Community Foundation has established the River Fire Relief Fund to accept donations from individuals and corporations who want to support community impacts from the fire. Donations are accepted here. PCF is in close contact with county and nonprofit partners to understand where funds can be mobilized for the greatest impact. 

THE SALVATION ARMY

Our partners at the Salvation Army are also accepting donations.

TRUSTED INFORMATION SOURCES

CAL FIRE – NEVADA-YUBA-PLACER UNIT – @CALFIRENEU

  • See Cal Fire’s incident page here.
  • Cal Fire’s Twitter feed here.

PLACER COUNTY – TWITTER – @PlacerCA

Placer County’s Twitter feed here.

PLACER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – UPDATES – @PlacerSheriff

  • PCSO on Facebook here.
  • PCSO on Twitter here.

PLACER COUNTY – RIVER FIRE WEBPAGE

See Placer County’s River Fire webpage at www.placer.ca.gov/RiverFire.

PLACER COUNTY – EVACUATIONS WEBPAGE

See Placer County’s Evacuations webpage at www.placer.ca.gov/5887/Evacuations.

NEVADA COUNTY OES – TWITTER – @NevCoOES

Nevada County Office of Emergency Services Twitter feed here.