SACRAMENTO – Residents of California who live in State Responsibility Areas (SRA), have been required for the past five years to pay an annual Fire Prevention Fee — which many consider an illegal tax — on each habitable structure. Assembly Member Frank Bigelow, R-O’Neals and Senator Tom Berryhill, R-Twain Harte have introduced AB 211 to require an annual report be ...

Here is a classic example of how Owner Mitigation + Firefighter Hard Work = Success. Though the official fire season may be winding down in the next few months, finger crossed, preparation to ensure that your home is fire ready and fire safe is an ongoing task that is best accomplished in the wet and cooler weather. This dramatic photo ...

CALIFORNIA — Over 4,000 firefighters are battling nine large wildfires across California. Yesterday, new fires erupted in Nevada and San Bernardino county. Firefighters are making good progress on both of these fires, while continuing to gain containment on the remaining blazes across the state. Gusty winds and poor humidity recovery, particularly in the Sacramento Valley and foothills, continue in the ...

SACRAMENTO – Cal Fire announced Wednesday it will be awarding nearly $16 million for fire prevention grants to local fire departments and fire safe councils to reduce the threat of large wildfires. The 2016-2017 State Responsibility Area Fire Prevention Fund and tree mortality grants are aimed at reducing the threat wildfires as well as dead and dying trees in and ...

NORTH FORK — Firefighters made quick work of a vegetation fire this afternoon on Kowana Lane just off Road 221 in North Fork. At approximately 3:30 p.m. this afternoon crews were called out to an address at the end of the road where a fire was burning in a pasture next to the house. There was one travel trailer inside ...

PRATHER — As excessive heat, steep terrain and extremely dry vegetation hamper fire suppression efforts, the Goose Fire has now grown to 1,800 acres, still with just 5 percent containment. The fire continues to move to the southeast, and firefighters will work through the night to construct and strengthen containment lines. The number of personnel assigned to the incident has grown ...

COARSEGOLD — The Sheriff’s Office has announced that they are allowing some of the residents evacuated due to the Serpa Fire to return home as of 10 p.m. tonight, Thursday, July 21. All residents living along Road 420 and the roads adjacent are now being allowed to return home. Only residents will be allowed in, the area is still closed ...

CALIFORNIA — While the Broken Fire in Coarsegold is 100 percent contained, there are over 3,600 firefighters battling 10 major wildfires across California. Mild temperatures have given firefighters the opportunity to gain the upper hand on containing five large fires over the past couple of days. Temperatures will continue to remain below normal, but high winds and low humidity is ...

COARSEGOLD — The “Broken Fire,” so-named for its proximity to the long-closed Broken Bit Restaurant on Highway 41 north of Coarsegold, is now 80 percent contained at 103 acres as of 7 a.m. Tuesday. The fire broke out just before noon today on the Veater Ranch, threatening one home before the forward progress was stopped at about 3:20 p.m. Pre-evacuation ...

OAKHURST — The term “fire season” seems to have replaced the word “summer” in the local lexicon, and as the days grow warmer area residents may want to make note of a special event happening locally that should serve to alleviate some stress. Mountain Area Merchants Association (MAMA) invites the community to a day designed to spread the word about ...