​

 
 
September 30, 2020

 
 
Triple-Digit Temperatures Will Tax the Grid so PG&E, Other Utilities Asking Customers to Cut Energy Use Between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.
 
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—With triple-digit heat forecast for Thursday, Oct. 1, the state’s grid operator is calling for afternoon and evening energy conservation as one way to make sure that the supply of power stays ahead of demand.
 
The Flex Alert, called by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), has been issued for Thursday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. With high temperatures in the forecast, the grid operator is predicting an increase in electricity demand, primarily from air conditioning use. Reduced capacity, along with fire activity and heat, has led to a potential shortage of energy supply tomorrow evening, CAISO says.
 
Here are five ways PG&E customers can cut their power use and help keep the lights (and air conditioning) on for everyone:
 

• When it’s cooler outside, bring the cool air in: If the outside air is cool in the night or early morning, open windows and doors and use fans to cool your home.
• Close your shades: Sunlight passing through windows heats your home and makes your air conditioner work harder. Block this heat by keeping blinds or drapes closed on the sunny side of your home.
• Cool down with a fan: Fans keep air circulating, allowing you to raise the thermostat a few degrees and stay just as comfortable while reducing your air-conditioning costs.
• Clear the area around your AC: Your air conditioning unit will operate better if it has plenty of room to breathe. The air conditioner's outdoor unit, the condenser, needs to be able to circulate air without any interruption or obstruction. Also, dirty air filters make your air conditioner work harder to circulate air. By cleaning or replacing your filters monthly, you can improve energy efficiency and reduce costs.
• Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher, health permitting: Every degree you lower the thermostat means your air conditioner must work even harder to keep your home cool.

 
PG&E’s meteorologists say that a high-pressure system remains anchored over the state. Temperatures will reach into the 90s across the San Joaquin Valley and neighboring intermediate valleys to the west. High pressure will begin to slightly weaken on Friday, and temperatures will begin a cool-down for the weekend.
 
Breezy north-northwest winds up to 30 mph are possible along the coast and coastal gaps and peaks through the day Thursday and Friday. PG&E does not project a need for a Public Safety Power Shutoff due to this weather, but conditions will be continuously monitored.
 
Customers can actively help by shifting energy use to morning and nighttime hours. Conservation can lower demand and reduce the duration of possible power interruptions. In August, when California experienced its first rotating outages in two decades, conservation limited the effects to two nights rather than three or four. And, similarly, conservation over the very hot Labor Day weekend prevented the need for rotating outages.
 
PG&E’s Demand Response programs offer incentives for business owners and residential customers who curtail their energy use during times of peak demand. PG&E has several of these programs. About 261,000 PG&E customers are enrolled in one of these Demand Response programs. PG&E’s website includes detailed information on these programs, which allow residential customers and business customers to save energy and money.
 
PG&E is prepared and, based on forecasts, doesn’t anticipate any issues meeting the increased demand for power. At this point, CAISO has given no indication that it will call for rotating outages.
 
PG&E also urges customers to stay safe during this heat wave. The company funds cooling centers throughout its service area to help customers escape the heat and cool off. To find a center near you click here or call 1-877-474-3266. 
 
About PG&E
 
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visitwww.pge.com/ and pge.com/news.
 
 
 
 
 

​FOREST UPDATE: Fire Restrictions Revised; Stove Use Approved in Campgrounds 
Nevada City, Calif. – The USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region has revised fire restrictions in California starting October 1 through October 8, 2020.
This revised Fire Restriction prohibits the following activities across all National Forests in California:
No Smoking
No building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire.

• The use of a portable lantern or stove using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel within a Developed Recreation Site (such as an official campground) is allowed.

 

• Generators are allowed for use on paved, gravel or dirt National Forest System roads and trails, staging areas, and within campgrounds.

While popular activities such as hunting, hiking, boating, and other types of general recreation are now allowed across the Tahoe National Forest after an unprecedented Forest Closure in early September, several prohibitions are still in place through October 18, 2020. These prohibitions include:
No camping outside of developed campgrounds. A list of open, developed campgrounds is provided below. There are two exceptions to this prohibition-

• Dispersed camping within the Granite Chief Wilderness is allowed. Dispersed camping within 500 feet of the Pacific Crest Trail is allowed.

No target shooting. Discharging a firearm, except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, and federal law and regulations, is prohibited.
To read the Regional, Emergency Fire Restriction Order: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd815382.pdf
To read the Tahoe National Forest  Emergency Camping and Shooting Prohibition:https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd808972.pdf
 
Open Campgrounds
The following campgrounds are open; reservations are strongly encouraged.
Highway 89, South

• Silver

• Granite Flat

• Goose

Foresthill Divide Road

• Giant Gap

• Shirttail

​Gold Lake Road

• Packsaddle

• Salmon Creek

• Sardine

Marysville Road

• Dark Day

• Schoolhouse

Mosquito Ridge Road

• French Meadows (Water systems limited, campers are asked to conserve water)(Reopens 9/25)

Interstate 80

• Indian Springs

• North Fork (Reopens 9/25)

Highway 49

• Fiddle Creek

• Indian Valley

• Wild plum

• Union Flat

• Rocky Rest

• Cal Ida

• Carlton Flat

 

Highway 20

• White Cloud (some sites closed due to hazard trees)

• Skillman

Bowman Lake Road

• Carr-Feeley (PG&E managed site, first-come first-serve only)

• Lindsey (PG&E managed site, first-come first-serve only)

Highway 89, North 

• Cold Creek

• East Meadow (operated by NID)

• Prosser Family (Water systems under repair, campers must pack in water)

• Upper Little Truckee

 

• Cottonwood

• Lower Little Truckee

• Pass Creek (operated by NID)

• Pass Creek Overflow

• Lakeside

 
 
 

 
 
 

Harold Pease, Ph.D.



We are coming to the end of an election year where the “hunger games,” having gone on every four years for well over a century since William McKinley, are finalizing.  The “game” part of the process is how it is done by the mega rich through their super packs and media outlets causing the people to believe that they actually choose their president.  This, at least until 2016 when America rejected their anointed candidates.
For years I told my students that the quickest way to understand our political system is to watch the movie “The Hunger Games.”  The strategy is to herd all voters into their two camps called Republicans and Democrats excluding all other political parties, where there exist few real differences on foreign policy and where the super rich have agreement.  Since they own all major media outlets, information for or against those they allowed elevated is managed.  
The few astute enough to figure this out and learn of other choices are easily brought back into the fold by the siren call that they are throwing away their vote if going outside the “ordained” two parties.  Those disaffiliated with both establishment political parties, about 40 percent, called independents, are returned to the fold at election time still forced to choose from the existing approved candidates.  And thus only candidate names change every four years.
I suppose that as a political scientist by profession, this is more easily understood to me.  I write the Federal Elections Commission every Fall of every election year to find out who is running for president, which I have done since the early 1990’s.  Never has the list of serious candidates for president been less than 200 and never has the list of serious political parties, most offering a presidential candidate, been less than 20.  
So who are the excluded (deplatformed) candidates on the ballot in 2020.  “As of September 21, 2020, 1,202 candidates have filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for president” (https://ballotpedia.org/List_of_registered_2020_presidential_candidates.  This cite lists candidate names and party affiliation).
The Federal Elections Commission requires that anyone running for president that spends or collects $5,000 or more on his/her candidacy for president file with them.  Obviously the number of presidential candidates and political parties has escalated far beyond that in the past.  I went through the list and found forty political parties, doubling the number of political parties previously.  
We used to assess the seriousness of a candidate by the $5,000 expenditure and how many states allowed his/her candidacy in their state.  States decide who qualifies for their ballots and who do not.  Since the Federal Election Commission has not yet published by state this information, as is common in past elections, it is difficult to know this number, but we can assume, as in past presidential elections, that it exceeds 20 political parties most offering a presidential candidate.  
The Federal Election Commission has six commissioners but it requires four votes to accomplish anything thus many important votes end tied at 3-3.  The president can only appoint three from his own political party so, in the most partisan time in American History since 1861, Democrat members have resigned and since August 31, 2019 the FEC has not had a quorum to function (Wikipedia, the Federal Election Commission).
So what other political parties offer choices for president on the ballot this year, absent the FEC state list and given the traditional non-coverage by the establishment media?  They follow:The two strongest are the Libertarian Party with (Jo Jorgensen) and Green Party, with Howie Hawkins.  Others that commonly provide a presidential candidates include: American Independent Party, Independent American Party, Constitution Party, Reform Party, Socialist Party, Peace and Freedom Party, and the Socialist Workers Party.  For most of the last century the Communist Party U.S.A nominated Gus Hall but that stopped when they concluded that more gains were coming through the Democratic Party than they could achieve under their party label.  
The Libertarian Party has offered a presidential candidate and convention in every election for decades and normally is on the ballot in every state of the union, but are never invited to the “big debates.”  The same could be said of the Green Party and a few others.  Certainly they feel excluded.  One may argue, “but they do not have enough voter strength to warrant inclusion,” but in fact, they do not have sufficient voter strength because the establishment media does not cover them.  Liberty Under Fire argues for debate inclusion for any candidate on the ballot of forty or more states. 
In political science we learn that the first election is the medias.  They vote first by their collective exclusion of those not registered as Democrat or Republican.  The people get to choose from those the media have not excluded.  The wisest, most experienced, most gifted and most honest person in America could not be president of the United States unless he/she were a Democrat or Republican.  
Media corporate owners have required media collusion and, as we have said in other columns, they are overwhelmingly also globalist and Council on Foreign Relations members.  In 2016 Trump survived this media filter by running as a Republican, and vaulted over the establishment by funding his own primary campaign enabling him to say things as he saw them and win over the majority of Americans who have also felt something amiss in Washington DC.  That is why they hate him.  He threatens their continued power.


 
Dr. Harold Pease is a syndicated columnist and an expert on the United States Constitution. He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He taught history and political science from this perspective for over 30 years at Taft College.  Newspapers have permission to publish this column. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www.LibertyUnderFire.org.
​

 
 
            Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) sent a letter to Federal Insurance Office Director Steven E. Seitz requesting a report on the effects of increased wildfire risk on private insurance markets, which is making insurance unaffordable for an increasing number of Californians.
 
            The letter asks for recommendations to make sure that home, business and commercial property insurance covering wildfire-related losses remains available and affordable.
 
            “As you know, it is among FIO’s functions to ‘monitor all aspects of the insurance industry’ and ‘to consult with the States…regarding insurance matters of national importance.’  Rising wildfire risk threatens to make home and business insurance unavailable and/or unaffordable to an ever-larger group of Americans, which I believe is a major problem that warrants your attention,” wrote Feinstein.
 
            “I ask that FIO issue a report on the risks involved, including addressing the questions attached to this letter.”
 
            Full text of the letter is available here and below.
 
September 24, 2020
 
Mr. Steven E. Seitz
Director, Federal Insurance Office
U.S. Department of the Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20220
 
Dear Mr. Seitz:
 
            In light of increasingly devastating wildfires and the growing unaffordability of fire insurance in California and other Western states, I ask that the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) issue a report on the impacts that increased wildfire risk is having, and is likely to have in future years, on private insurance markets.  I also ask that this report include recommendations to ensure that home, business, and commercial property insurance covering wildfire-related losses remains available and affordable.
 
            The risk from wildfires in the Western United States has increased dramatically in recent years.  This year’s wildfires are already the largest on record, having burned more than 3.6 million acres in California alone, and months remain in the annual fire season.  Last year, the California Department of Insurance prevented insurers from declining to renew policies for about 800,000 homes in the state.  The executive director of the California State Association of Counties recently said that “the marketplace has largely collapsed” for insurance in high-risk areas of California.
 
            As you know, it is among FIO’s functions to “monitor all aspects of the insurance industry” and “to consult with the States…regarding insurance matters of national importance.”  Rising wildfire risk threatens to make home and business insurance unavailable and/or unaffordable to an ever-larger group of Americans, which I believe is a major problem that warrants your attention.  I ask that FIO issue a report on the risks involved, including addressing the questions attached to this letter.  I thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.
 
Sincerely,
 
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
 
Enclosure: Questions re: Insurance and Wildfire Risk Report
 
Attachment: Questions re: Insurance and Wildfire Risk Report
 
1.         Which significant factors are contributing most to the increased insurance risk of wildfires and losses related to them?
 
2.         Using the best evidence for estimating the future trends for the factors contributing to increased insurance risk of wildfires and wildfire-related losses, how much is that insurance risk likely to change in the future?
 
3.         Given the trend of increasing wildfire risk, is the current private market for property insurance in affected areas sufficiently robust to serve the needs of all consumers?  Can the private insurance market offer affordable insurance to the vast majority of individuals and businesses without some kind of federal participation (such as with the National Flood Insurance Program or the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program)?
 
4.         What are the demographic characteristics of Americans who, due to wildfire risk, are most likely to experience major increases in home insurance cost increases due to wildfire risk, or who may no longer be able to purchase adequate fire insurance at all? 
 
5.         What programs or other initiatives exist to improve wildfire risk mitigation in areas at risk of wildfire in the United States?  How effective have these efforts been in improving the affordability or accessibility of property insurance?  Are there additional mitigation approaches that state regulators, state and local governments, Congress, and other policy makers should consider?
 
6.         How well prepared are state insurance regulators and the insurance industry to handle the implications for insurance consumers of increased risk of insured losses from wildfires?  What steps could regulators or insurers take to improve their response to addressing the rising risk of wildfires?
 
7.         Are efforts to mitigate wildfire risk for insurance purposes appropriately included or coordinated with efforts to mitigate other disaster- and climate-related risks at the state, local, and federal levels?
 
###

SACRAMENTO - Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) delivered a letter to Governor Newsom requesting that he investigate and cancel a $35 million contract to a public affairs firm with deep Democrat ties. Read Senator Grove's letter here.

A story in the Sacramento Bee today finds statements from officials within the Newsom Administration who questioned the legality and appropriateness of the contract given the political bias of the firm selected for the contract and the lack of required oversight. Read the Sacramento Bee story here.

Senate Republican Leader Grove released the following statement:

"California's chief election office has been compromised. The state budget this year allocated $35 million to individual counties to help them with their vote by mail program. Yet, the Secretary of State unilaterally bypassed these counties and took it upon himself to use these funds for a "voter outreach" campaign through a Democrat PR firm.

"This contract is problematic, questionable, and reeks of political bias using taxpayer dollars. I ask Governor Newsom to immediately cancel the contract and investigate its legality and appropriateness. The integrity of our elections must not be compromised," said Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove.

###


Senate Republican Leader Shan

Dr. Glenn Mollette 

September 29, 2020, was just another bad day in 2020. We thought that with Covid-19, unemployment, and riots in the streets of America's cities it could not get worse. It did.
Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Chris Wallace gave us a "show?" we will never forget.   
 
Our leaders used to make us proud. We grew up wanting to emulate people in high places who inspired us with their remarkable lives. We watched how they conducted themselves, communicated and chose their words wisely with dignity, diplomacy and grace.  This doesn't happen anymore in America. Tuesday's debate was just another plummeting example of how badly and poorly people can act in America. Biden and Trump are supposed to be our two best men running for the highest office in America. Chis Wallace works for one of the biggest networks in the world.  Instead we saw a production of America's scariest video, Heehaw gone crazy or bigtime wrestling Covid-19 style.
 
We've been on this track now for too long. The debates have gotten worse and worse. They have been more and more out of control. They have turned into 90 minutes of rudeness, name calling, hollering and mud throwing. Our children are watching and learning. 
 
Where did we lose civility in our nation? Did we ever have it? Is this just the way America has always been at heart and now we feel free to be who we really are? Rude, crude and ignorant? The Beverly Hillbillies had far more class than we saw Tuesday night. They may have been uncouth and backward but they didn't treat people badly. 
 
We've become scary in how we talk to and treat others in this country, starting with our national leadership and media. We have a nation of people who are quick to give you the middle finger on the highway, honk their horns at you on the road until you get out of their way and knock you down on the sidewalk rather than scoot over and give you some space to walk by.
 
Today, in America, we are name callers. We feel entitled to everything everyone else has without working for it. We expect to be treated with respect and dignity while we act like buffoons. Words and phrases such as "please, thank you, excuse me, may I, yes ma'am and yes sir," have been tossed out of too many windows. Therefore, we are now reaping what we sowed.  People feel like they have the right to treat others badly because of color or background, while others feel entitled to destroy and burn down our cities from Baltimore to Portland. We have a nation of people who believe they can do anything they want regardless of how others might be affected. This is one reason we can't defund the police. However, some of the procedures of the police must be revamped.
 
Be warned another debate is coming soon. Candidates should be allowed one- and two-minute response times to questions and to respond to statements. At these one and two-minute intervals the microphone should automatically be silenced so the next candidate can fairly respond with the same time limits. There has to be a fair civil way to conduct and present a Presidential debate. We need to see and hear one. We are desperate to get this nation back together, one people, under God, united, with liberty and justice for all. We have to see some of this in this next debate and it has to come from the moderator, President Trump and former Vice President Biden. 

September 29, 2020
 
On September 26, 2020 the residents of Sierra Brooks had the opportunity to participate in a community-wide green waste clean-up event. This annual event took place as one of the first stages in becoming a Firewise Community offering a chance for home owners to get involved in increasing defensible space around their homes. As a result, an estimated 319 yards of green waste was removed from Sierra Brooks, with the Loyalton Cogen reporting 22,460 pounds of that amount being delivered directly to their facility.
 
The Sierra Brooks Firewise Community Volunteer Group would like to thank the following people and businesses as this day would not have been possible without them; Sierra Valley Enterprises, LLC (Jeff Holland, Kirk Furlong-Wentworth, Jim Turner and Bonnie Richards), Intermountain Disposal, Inc., Sierra County Road Department (Tim Beals, Rob Moore and crew), Sierra County Fire Safe Council, Inc., Loyalton Volunteer Fire Department (Shawn Heywood and crew), Sierra Brooks Home Owners Association, Boy Scouts Troop #60 (Derrick Koch and kids), members of the Loyalton Football Team and FFA, Supervisor Dryden and local community members.
 
We thank you for your time and amazing hard work and cannot express enough how grateful we are to have had this turnout.
 
With appreciation,
The Sierra Brooks Firewise Community Volunteer Group

 
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after signing a discharge petition, which would require the House to immediately take up H.R. 8265, a bill that would distribute the remaining approximately $135 billion in current Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) reserves that are sitting unused after the program expired on August 8th. Businesses would be able to receive a second PPP loan if they can demonstrate a revenue reduction. Additionally, it adds more flexibility in how PPP dollars can be spent while still being eligible for loan forgiveness.
 
A discharge petition is a legislative procedure to bring a bill directly to the Floor for a vote when signed by 218 Members of the House.
 
LaMalfa said: “The Paycheck Protection Program saved approximately 51 million jobs across the country, 12 million of which were in rural areas. There is still approximately $135 billion in loans that could be disbursed to help Northern California small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic and an active wildfire season, yet Speaker Pelosi has stalled for weeks to bring additional small business relief to the Floor. As more businesses close their doors for good each day, now is not the time to play politics with money that was already allocated on their behalf. A group of my colleagues and I used the discharge petition procedure to take matters into our own hands and attempt to bring forward a bill which provides support to struggling small businesses by reviving the tested and effective Paycheck Protection Program.”
 
 Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
 

​

As Scope of Weather Event Increases, PG&E Is Reaching Out to Additional Customers Who Might Be Impacted by the Public Safety Power Shutoff; Potentially 97,000 Total Customers 
 
 
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) continues to monitor a potentially strong and dry offshore wind event forecasted to start early Sunday morning and expected to last through Monday. Given the expected weather conditions, PG&E began its one-day advance notifications to customers in areas where PG&E may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized power lines. 
 
The anticipated scope and timing of this event has changed from earlier announcements, based on updated weather forecasts that showed stronger wind gusts in a larger portion of PG&E’s service area.PG&E’s in-house meteorologists, as well as its Wildfire Safety Operation Center and Emergency Operations Center, continue to monitor conditions closely and additional notifications will be made today to customers who may be impacted by this event.
 
Potential Public Safety Power Shutoff on Sunday
The potential PSPS starting early Sunday morning could impact approximately 97,000 customers in portions of fifteen counties in the Northern Sierra and North Valley. Specifically, customers in portions of Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tehama and Yuba counties are being notified. The total customer impacts are currently projected to be as follows:
 
County
Customers impacted
Medical Baseline
Alpine
572
6
Amador
5,471
401
Butte
18,669
1,784
Calaveras
9,978
386
El Dorado
35,614
2,442
Kern
27
0
Lake
55
2
Napa
181
5
Nevada
7,345
438
Placer
9,657
609
Plumas
785
24
Shasta
2,816
241
Sierra
1,098
22
Tehama
1,223
58
Yuba
3,385
282
Total
96,876
6,700
 
Ongoing Customer Notifications
Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.  
 
Customer notifications—via text, email and automated phone call—began Thursday. Customers enrolled in the company’s Medical Baseline Program who do not verify that they have received these important safety communications will be individually visited in person by a PG&E employee when possible. A primary focus will be given to customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.
 
Here’s Where to Go to Learn More

• PG&E’s emergency website www.pge.com/pspsupdates is now available in seven languages. 
• Customers are encouraged to update their contact information and indicate their preferred language for notifications by visiting www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts.
• Tenants and non-account holders can sign up to receive PSPS ZIP Code Alerts for any area where you do not have a PG&E account by visitingwww.pge.com/pspszipcodealerts.
• PG&E has launched a new tool at its online Safety Action Center www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com to help customers prepare for an emergency event. This site includes resources to help customers develop an emergency plan and make necessary safety preparations.

 
Community Resource Centers Reflect COVID-Safety Protocols
PG&E will open outdoor, open-air Community Resource Centers (CRCs) in every county where a PSPS occurs. These temporary CRCs will be open to customers when power is out at their homes and will provide ADA-accessible restrooms, hand-washing stations; medical-equipment charging; Wi-Fi; bottled water; grab-and-go bags and non-perishable snacks. PG&E updates its CRC locations regularly, click here for updates.
 
All CRCs will follow important health and safety protocols including:

• Facial coverings and maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet from those who are not part of the same household will be required at all CRCs. 
• Temperature checks will be administered before entering CRCs that are located indoors.
• CRC staff will be trained in COVID-19 precautions and will regularly sanitize surfaces and use Plexiglass barriers at check-in.
• All CRCs will follow county and state requirements regarding COVID-19, including limits on the number of customers permitted indoors at any time.

 
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 23,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.
 
 
 
 
 
 
BRANDI MERLO
Marketing and Communications
Sacramento l Sierra l Stockton
PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY
OFFICE 209.736.6424
CELL 916.212.6548
24-Hour News Line 415.973.5930
 
Follow me on Twitter for energy savings tips, outage updates and more - @PGE_Brandi

Brandi.Merlo@PGE.COM
þ Please consider the environment before printing this email.
 
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September 25, 2020
Updated Weather Forecast for Dry, Offshore Wind Event Means PG&E Might Need to Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Portions of 15 Counties 
 
As Scope of Weather Event Increases, PG&E Is Reaching Out to Additional Customers Who Might Be Impacted by the Public Safety Power Shutoff; Potentially 97,000 Total Customers 
 
 
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) continues to monitor a potentially strong and dry offshore wind event forecasted to start early Sunday morning and expected to last through Monday. Given the expected weather conditions, PG&E began its one-day advance notifications to customers in areas where PG&E may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized power lines. 
 
The anticipated scope and timing of this event has changed from earlier announcements, based on updated weather forecasts that showed stronger wind gusts in a larger portion of PG&E’s service area.PG&E’s in-house meteorologists, as well as its Wildfire Safety Operation Center and Emergency Operations Center, continue to monitor conditions closely and additional notifications will be made today to customers who may be impacted by this event.
 
Potential Public Safety Power Shutoff on Sunday
The potential PSPS starting early Sunday morning could impact approximately 97,000 customers in portions of fifteen counties in the Northern Sierra and North Valley. Specifically, customers in portions of Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tehama and Yuba counties are being notified. The total customer impacts are currently projected to be as follows:
 
County
Customers impacted
Medical Baseline
Alpine
572
6
Amador
5,471
401
Butte
18,669
1,784
Calaveras
9,978
386
El Dorado
35,614
2,442
Kern
27
0
Lake
55
2
Napa
181
5
Nevada
7,345
438
Placer
9,657
609
Plumas
785
24
Shasta
2,816
241
Sierra
1,098
22
Tehama
1,223
58
Yuba
3,385
282
Total
96,876
6,700
 
Ongoing Customer Notifications
Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.  
 
Customer notifications—via text, email and automated phone call—began Thursday. Customers enrolled in the company’s Medical Baseline Program who do not verify that they have received these important safety communications will be individually visited in person by a PG&E employee when possible. A primary focus will be given to customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.
 
 
September 25, 2020
Updated Weather Forecast for Dry, Offshore Wind Event Means PG&E Might Need to Proactively Turn Off Power for Safety in Portions of 15 Counties 
 
As Scope of Weather Event Increases, PG&E Is Reaching Out to Additional Customers Who Might Be Impacted by the Public Safety Power Shutoff; Potentially 97,000 Total Customers 
 
 
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) continues to monitor a potentially strong and dry offshore wind event forecasted to start early Sunday morning and expected to last through Monday. Given the expected weather conditions, PG&E began its one-day advance notifications to customers in areas where PG&E may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized power lines. 
 
The anticipated scope and timing of this event has changed from earlier announcements, based on updated weather forecasts that showed stronger wind gusts in a larger portion of PG&E’s service area.PG&E’s in-house meteorologists, as well as its Wildfire Safety Operation Center and Emergency Operations Center, continue to monitor conditions closely and additional notifications will be made today to customers who may be impacted by this event.
 
Potential Public Safety Power Shutoff on Sunday
The potential PSPS starting early Sunday morning could impact approximately 97,000 customers in portions of fifteen counties in the Northern Sierra and North Valley. Specifically, customers in portions of Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Tehama and Yuba counties are being notified. The total customer impacts are currently projected to be as follows:
 
County
Customers impacted
Medical Baseline
Alpine
572
6
Amador
5,471
401
Butte
18,669
1,784
Calaveras
9,978
386
El Dorado
35,614
2,442
Kern
27
0
Lake
55
2
Napa
181
5
Nevada
7,345
438
Placer
9,657
609
Plumas
785
24
Shasta
2,816
241
Sierra
1,098
22
Tehama
1,223
58
Yuba
3,385
282
Total
96,876
6,700
 
Ongoing Customer Notifications
Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.  
 
Customer notifications—via text, email and automated phone call—began Thursday. Customers enrolled in the company’s Medical Baseline Program who do not verify that they have received these important safety communications will be individually visited in person by a PG&E employee when possible. A primary focus will be given to customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment.

September 25, 2020 - Sierra County Public Health received notice that businesses and activities in Sierra County can move into the Orange Tier of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. This change occurred after Sierra County Public Health participated in the county data adjudication process with California Department of Public Health (CDPH). During this process, Sierra Public Health Officials were able to provide the context of the data in order to make the case to the State for the appropriate correction.

What does this mean for Sierra County businesses?
SECTORS
ORANGE MODERATE - Tier 3

Hair Salons & Barbershops
Open indoors with modifications

All Retail
Open Indoors with modifications

Personal Care Services
Open indoors with modifications

Places of Worship
Open indoors with modifications; Max 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer

Gyms and Fitness Centers
Open indoors with modifications; Max 25% capacity +indoor pools

Restaurants and Museums
Open indoors with modifications; Max 50% capacity or 200 people, whichever is fewer

Bars, Breweries, and Distilleries (where no meal provided) Follow restaurants guidance where meal is provided at bar.
Open Outdoors with modifications

Campgrounds and outdoor recreation
Open with modifications

Concert Venues/ Live Music
Closed

Weddings (Ceremony only)
Indoor with modifications; Max 50% capacity or 200 people whichever is fewer

Yoga Studios
Open indoor with modifications; 25% capacity
Questions?
All industry guidance is posted and up-dated at: https://covid19.ca.gov/industry-guidance/ Email: covid19@sierracounty.ca.gov Sierra County Public Health 530-993-6700
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P.O. Box 7, Loyalton, CA 96118(530) 993-6700www.sierracounty.ca.gov 

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Reclamation releases final Environmental Impact Statement on proposed extraordinary maintenance project to reduce risk of canal failure
CARSON CITY, Nev. – Today, the Bureau of Reclamation released a plan to address potential structural repairs associated with long-term operations of the Truckee Canal. The canal is part of the Newlands Project, one of the oldest Reclamation projects in the country.
 “We are pleased to reach this important milestone working together with eight partner agencies including the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District,” said Terri Edwards, Lahontan area office manager. “This plan provides the foundation for TCID to restore long-term operations in a safe manner.”
The canal originates at the Derby Diversion Dam on the Truckee River, approximately 20 miles east of Reno, and ends at Lahontan Reservoir.
The 1996 operation and maintenance contract with the TCID requires Reclamation to evaluate the district’s request to improve the canal’s structural integrity.
The canal improvements identified include embankment repairs, structural enhancements such as replacing check structures, and lining additional segments of the canal. The upgrades will restore safe, long-term canal operations for Newlands Project water right holders. The canal is currently operated at a lower stage, or height of water, until improvements are completed.
The final Environmental Impact Statement considers and addresses all comments received during the draft EIS public review period and is available at www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=25717. For additional information on the project, visit www.usbr.gov/mp/lbao/programs/truckee-canal-eis/index.html.
Contact Laurie Nicholas for more information on the Truckee Canal Extraordinary Maintenance final EIS at 775-884-8360 or lnicholas@usbr.gov.

Crews continue to battle 25 major wildfires in California with over 17,400 firefighters on the front lines. Yesterday, firefighters down in San Diego County were able to contain the over 17,000 acre Valley Fire, as well as 27 new initial attack wildfires across the State.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been well over 8,000 wildfires that have burned well over 3.6 million acres in California. Since August 15, when California’s fire activity elevated, there have been 26 fatalities and over 6,900 structures destroyed.

Cooler and seasonal temperatures continue throughout the state today. A significant warm up begins Saturday, stretching across the state into the following week, with a chance of record-breaking highs in some areas. Locally gusty winds may also occur, bringing elevated fire danger.  A Red Flag Warning has been issued for gusty winds, high heat, and low humidity beginning Saturday through Monday, effecting areas including the East Bay Hills and interior valleys, and North Bay Mountains.  A Fire Weather Watch is in effect beginning Saturday morning through Monday over a large portion of Northern California for gusty winds and low humidity, bringing critical fire weather conditions.
 
With no significant precipitation in sight, California remains dry and ripe for wildfires.  Have you signed up for emergency alerts in case a fire near your home requires you to evacuate?  If not, be sure to sign up for the alerts in your county here to make sure you are prepared, and to learn more about other ways to be ready for any emergency,  visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.

Fires of Interest:

**CALFIRE Incidents**
LNU Lightning Complex, multiple North Bay counties (more info…)
Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Colusa, Solano, and Yolo Counties
*363,220 acres, 98% contained
*While no growth is expected, fire suppression repair work is ongoing.
 
SCU Lightning Complex, multiple Easy Bay counties (more info…)
Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara San Joaquin, Merced, and Stanislaus Counties
*396,624 acres, 98% contained
*While no growth is expected, fire suppression repair work is ongoing.
 
**Unified Command Incidents**
North Complex, Plumas County (more info…)
Southwest of Susanville (Plumas National Forest)
*304,492 acres, 78% contained
*15 fatalities
*2,248 structures destroyed
*Evacuations in place
*Includes the Bear and Claremont Fire
*CAL FIRE Team 4 is in unified command with US Forest Service IMT Team 4, Butte County Sheriff’s Office and California State Parks

Creek Fire, Fresno County (more info…)
Northeast of Shaver Lake (Sierra National Forest)
*291,426 acres, 36% contained
*Evacuations in effect
*Heavy tree mortality in the area
*855 structures destroyed
*CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 1 in unified command with USFS Great Basin Team 1

Butte/Tehama/Glenn (BTU/TGU) Lightning Complex, multiple Counties (more info…)
Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties
*19,609 acres, 97% contained
*14 structures destroyed
*While no growth is expected, fire suppression repair work is ongoing.
 
SQF Complex, Tulare County (more info…)
25 miles north of Kernville (Sequoia National Forest)
*144,777 acres, 36% contained
*Castle and Shotgun Fires merged into this complex
*CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 6 in unified command with USFS Team 2

**Coordinated Command Incidents**
August Complex, Tehama County (more info…)
Elk Creek and Stonyford area (Mendocino National Forest)
*867,335 acres, 40% contained
*South Zone 487,584 acres, 70% contained
*North Zone 275,521 acres, 35% contained
*West Zone 104,230 acres, 50% contained
*1 fatality
*Includes multiple fires including the Elkhorn, Hopkins, Willow, Vinegar, and Doe fires
*A California Interagency Incident Management Team and Great Basin Team in command
*CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 3 & 5 are deployed on the West Zone of the complex

**Federal Incidents**
Snow Fire, Riverside County (more info…)
Snow Creek Rd, west of Palm Springs
*6,254 acres, 80% contained
*Repopulation has started

El Dorado Fire, San Bernardino County (more info…)
West of Oak Glen (San Bernardino National Forest)
*22,604 acres, 81% contained
*1 fatality
*Evacuations in place
*10 structures destroyed
*California Interagency Incident Management Team 13 in command
 
Fox Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…) 
*2,188 acres, 73% contained
*Evacuations in place
  
Slater Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…)
5 miles North of Happy Camp (Klamath National Forest)
*153,850 acres, 25% contained
*2 fatalities
*Evacuation orders in place
 
Devil Fire, Siskiyou County (more info…)
5 miles north of Upper Devil’s Peak (Klamath National Forest)
*8,173 acres, 18% contained

Bobcat Fire, Los Angeles County (more info…)
North of Duarte (Angeles National Forest)
*113,986 acres, 55% containment
*Evacuations in place
*Unified command with the US Forest Service, Los Angeles County Fire Department and Monrovia Fire Department
 
Dolan Fire, Monterey County (more info…)
Hwy 1, 10 miles south of Big Sur (Los Padres National Forest)
*128,417 acres, 46% contained
*Structures threatened
*California Interagency Incident Command Team 15 assuming command today

Bullfrog Fire, Fresno County (more info…)
SE of Bullfrog Lake (Sierra National Forest)
*1,185 acres, 30% contained

Fork Fire, El Dorado County, (more info…)
15 miles northeast of Pollock Pines (El Dorado National Forest)
*1,667 acres, 70% contained

Valley Fire, San Diego County (more info…) FINAL
Near Alpine (Cleveland National Forest)
*17,093 acres, 100% contained
 
Lake Fire, Los Angeles County (more info…)
Southwest of Lake Hughes
Angeles National Forest / Los Angeles County Fire Department
* 31,089 acres, 97% contained

Apple Fire, Riverside County (more info…)
Oak Glen/Cherry Valley (San Bernardino National Forest)
*33,424 acres, 95% contained

Red Salmon Complex – Humboldt County (more info…)
14 miles northeast of Willow Creek (Shasta-Trinity National Forest)
*108,244 acres, 31% contained        

Blue Jay Fire, Mariposa County (more info…)
Yosemite National Park Wilderness
*4,488 acres, 50% contained

Wolf Fire, Tuolumne County (more info…)
Yosemite National Park Wilderness
*1,087 acres, 35% contained

Woodward Fire, Marin County (more info…)
3 miles southwest of Olema (Point Reyes National Seashore)
*4,929 acres, 97% contained
 
Slink Fire, Mono County (more info…)
2 miles west of Coleville (Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest)
*26,759 acres, 86% contained

Moraine, Tulare County (more info…)
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness
*668 acres, 70% contained
 
Rattlesnake, Tulare County (more info…)
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Wilderness 
*4,070 acres, 0% contained

Top 20 Wildfire Records

• 5 of the Top 20 largest wildfires in California History have occurred in 2020.
• Largest Wildfires - #1 August Complex, #3 SCU Lightning Complex, #4 LNU Lightning Complex, #5 North Complex, and #6 Creek Fire.
• Most Destructive - #5 North Complex, #10 LNU Lightning Complex, #11 CZU Lightning Complex, and #17 Creek Fire.
• Deadliest Wildfires - #5 North Complex and #20 LNU Lightning Complex.

 
National Preparedness Month is recognized each September to promote disaster and contingency planning. As we continue to respond to a global pandemic, fires, natural disasters and various localized interruptions, there is no better time to make sure your organization is prepared.

Whether you are concerned about your current plan or need to start planning, Alvarez Technology Group offers a comprehensive business continuity and contingency planning service that will guide you along in the process to build the plans you need:
 
 

• Disaster Recovery
• Cybersecurity Incident
• Active Shooter
• Fire Evacuation
• COVID-19 Response
• Product Recall

Our affordable, cloud-based platform hosts your plans and allows you to activate the plans when needed, either for actual events or for testing purposes. Better yet, our platform meets all compliance requirements for regulated industries, including HIPAA.

• Create, modify and activate plans from anywhere -- get rid of those paper binders.
• Automated event tracking, including mass email and text notifications.
• Complete post-event documentation and reports available immediately after the event is completed.

Contact us at (831) 753-7677, info@alvareztg.com or simply reply to this email today to arrange a free 30 minute evaluation.

If 2020 has taught us anything it is that we need to plan for every contingency.

SUSANVILLE, Calif., September 23, 2020 – The Lassen National Forest will return to its policy of selling personal use fuelwood permits on Thursday, Oct. 1. The free personal use fuelwood policy introduced earlier this year expires on Sept. 30. Starting Oct. 1, permits will no longer be free, and the newly purchased permits will no longer carry a free stamp. The personal use fuelwood permits/tags will continue to be issued by mail. 
The 10-cord annual fuelwood limit will remain in place. Those permit holders who requested six free cords will be allowed to purchase four additional cords. For your convenience, mail-in personal use request forms are available on our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/lassen/passes-permits/forestproducts/?cid=stelprdb5107317&width=full.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
​

SACRAMENTO - Today, Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) denounced the Governor's actions to attack California workers by eliminating gas-powered vehicles by 2035 and committing to work with Legislative Democrats to end fracking.

Senator Grove released the following statement:


"Californians have had enough with these extremist policies that have forced rolling blackouts, shuttered thousands of businesses, fueled catastrophic wildfires, killed the freelance economy, and beyond. Perhaps Governor Newsom should spend less time pursuing headlines and spend more time on real solutions. How about keeping Californians safe from wildfires, having an unemployment department that doesn't have a 1.6 million claim backlog, or having a reliable energy grid that allows us to turn on the AC in 110-degree weather?

"The fact is that Californians cannot survive without oil and gas or petroleum byproducts. These products are not just the gas in our cars, they are the asphalt on our roads, the plastic holding together electric vehicles, medical equipment vulnerable patients rely on, footballs our children play with, telephones, toothpaste, trash bags, and so much more. Instead of producing it under the strictest environmental regulations in the world, our state will be doing more business with foreign regimes that have abysmal environmental and human rights standards.

"If the Governor's going to talk about the environment then he needs to be upfront with all of the facts. Catastrophic wildfires can emit as much particulate matter in a single week as all of the cars on the road in California for a year. The Governor should be using his time to protect our communities at risk from wildfire by managing our forests and vegetation instead of banning cars that everyday Californians use to provide for their families."
Senator Grove authored an Op-ed about the attack on the oil and gas industry as published in the Bakersfield Californian. Click here to read it.
 
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Senator Shannon Grove represents California's 16th Senate District which encompasses large portions of Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino counties and including the cities of Bakersfield, Barstow, California City, Exeter, Frazier Mountain, Joshua Tree, Mojave, Needles, Ridgecrest, Rosamond, Taft, Tehachapi, Twentynine Palms, Tulare, Visalia, Yucca Valley and portions of the Kern River Valley. She is the Senate Republican Leader. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.


For press inquiries for questions, please contact Jacqui Nguyen, press secretary for the Senate Republican Caucus, at (858) 999-7706.

HOME PAGE ·  NEWSROOM ·  BIOGRAPHY

Sacramento, CA – In response to Governor Gavin Newsom issuing an Executive Order today, banning the sale of gas powered cars by 2035, the California Fuels & Convenience Alliance (CFCA) issued the following statement:

“Today's decision by Governor Gavin Newsom to unilaterally enact a policy as significant as this is both troubling and a cause of great distress for millions of Californians.

"This order not only represents an egregious transgression of the legislative process, but also an outright disregard for the millions of Californians struggling to just get by in today's most taxing of circumstances.

"As Californians continue to be barraged by an endless wave of public service announcements urging stark energy conservation for fear of rolling blackouts, the timing for announcing the greatest additional stress to our grid in history could not be worse.

"Simply put, our power grid does not have the capacity to bear the weight of carrying one of the largest personal transportation sectors in the world. California already cannot meet its own energy demand without widespread EV adoption.

"Most importantly, electric vehicles leave behind California's most vulnerable populations. Even with hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal subsidies, even the cheapest of EV's remain firmly out of reach for many working class Californians. Moreover, EV's become an even greater burden for renters and those living in apartments or multiple family housing, where access to sufficient home charging is simply not possible.

"California's transportation industries continue to make strides in greener and environmentally responsible solutions from renewable fuels, to vehicles with unfathomable efficiency, and this order is a blatant affront to these great advancements. The path to a greener tomorrow cannot be a one-size-fits-all 'solution' forced down by a one-party regime."
About CFCA
CFCA is the industry's statewide trade association representing the needs of independent wholesale and retail marketers of gasoline, diesel, lubricating oils and other petroleum products; transporters of those products; and retail convenience store operators. CFCA’s members serve California’s families, agriculture, police and fire, cities, construction, and delivery industries to name a few.

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California Fuels & Convenience Alliance | 2520 Venture Oaks Way Ste. 100, Sacramento, CA 95833 | 916.646.5999 | james@cfca.energy | www.cfca.energy
Connect with us
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FOREST UPDATE: 
Nevada City, Calif. –The Tahoe National Forest is reopening additional campgrounds for the upcoming weekend after two weeks of unprecedented, emergency closures due to California wildfires and wildfire risk.
While popular activities such as hunting, hiking, boating, and other types of general recreation are now allowed, several prohibitions are still in place through October 18, 2020. These prohibitions include:
No camping outside of developed campgrounds. A list of open, developed campgrounds is provided below. There are two exceptions to this prohibition-

• Dispersed camping within the Granite Chief Wilderness is allowed. Dispersed camping within 500 feet of the Pacific Crest Trail is allowed.

No target shooting. Discharging a firearm, except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, and federal law and regulations, is prohibited.
In addition, an Emergency Fire Restriction Order has been extended through October 1,2020. This Fire Restriction strictly prohibits the following activities across all National Forests in California:
No Smoking
No building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire.

• This includes all gas stoves of any kind.
• Generators are allowed for use on paved, gravel or dirt National Forest System roads and trails, staging areas, and within campgrounds.

 
Open Campgrounds
The following campgrounds are open. Campgrounds opening 9/25 are noted.
Highway 89, South

• Silver

• Granite Flat

Foresthill Divide Road

• Giant Gap

• Shirttail

​Gold Lake Road

• Packsaddle

• Salmon Creek

• Sardine

Marysville Road

• Dark Day

• Schoolhouse

Mosquito Ridge Road

• French Meadows (Water systems limited, campers are asked to conserve water)(Reopens 9/25)

Interstate 80

• Indian Springs

• North Fork (Reopens 9/25)

Highway 49

• Fiddle Creek

• Indian Valley

• Wild plum

• Union Flat

• Rocky Rest

• Cal Ida

• Carlton Flat

 

Highway 20

• White Cloud (some sites closed due to hazard trees)

• Skillman

Bowman Lake Road

• Carr-Feeley (PG&E managed site, first-come first-serve only)

• Lindsey (PG&E managed site, first-come first-serve only)

Highway 89, North 

• Cold Creek

• East Meadow (operated by NID)

• Prosser Family (Water systems under repair, campers must pack in water)

• Upper Little Truckee

 

• Cottonwood

• Lower Little Truckee

• Pass Creek (operated by NID)

• Pass Creek Overflow

 
For more information about the Tahoe National Forest, go to www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe. Join the conversation by following us on Twitter at twitter.com/Tahoe_NF and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TahoeNF.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender         
 
 
 
 
 

 
(Red Bluff, CA) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) issued the following statement after the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) committed to correcting the Virtual Incident Procurement (VIPR) contracting issues in USFS Region 5. The USFS uses the VIPR system to contract for all firefighting resources not associated with a fire department including water tenders and other heavy equipment. For the 2020 fire season, Region 5 failed to meet its contracting goals meaning there were insufficient resources to call upon when the number of fires exploded. After Congressman LaMalfa and local contractors met with U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Jim Hubbard earlier this month to discuss contracting issues, direct action was taken by the Trump Administration to begin to correct the problem for firefighting contractors in California.
 
LaMalfa said: “After visiting many of the major fires across the North State this fall, one thing is clear, there was a significant lack of personnel and resources to quickly fight these fires. At the North Complex Fire in Quincy, I was told they had the amount of personnel and equipment that they would normally have on a 500-acre fire, but this fire was already over 17,000 acres. While firefighters were able to do some heroic structure protection, they didn’t have the number of personnel and equipment they needed to aggressively fight the spread of the rest of the fire.”
 
“Our region’s failure to fill VIPR contracts this year has led to a severe lack of equipment and fire personnel. That failure made the wildfire destruction in California much worse. When my office and local contractors met with Secretary Hubbard and the Forest Service in Red Bluff, we expressed our concerns and frustrations with contracts going unfilled that left our communities vulnerable. Thanks to that meeting, Under Secretary Hubbard and the Forest Service are taking action to begin to remedy the VIPR contracting problems and issuing emergency contracts. The Trump Administration continues to be supportive of our firefighting efforts every step of the way, and I’m glad to see them working to resolve this issue. My office will continue to monitor progress and ensure corrections are made for next year’s contracting process through VIPR.”
 
 Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
 

For Immediate Release – September 22nd, 2020   Contact: Savannah Glasgow – (202) 525-8538
 
 
(Washington, DC) – Congressman Doug LaMalfa issued the following statement after he, Senator Daines (R-MT), and other members of the Western Caucus sent a letter to congressional leadership urging for the immediate consideration of H.R. 7978, the Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act. H.R. 7978 would streamline forest management projects in the West, train a new generation of forestry professionals and firefighters, increase projects to clear California’s 150 million dead and dying trees, incentivize biomass collection, expedite permitting for the installation of wildfire detection equipment, expand the use of satellite data to assist wildfire response, and expand existing grants to allow for the retrofitting homes and buildings with wildfire resilient materials.
 
LaMalfa said: “The West is on fire and our firefighting capabilities are overextended. There have been 26 fatalities and over 3.1 million acres burned in California just this year. This urgent situation is the product of neglected forests and decades of bad forestry policy. Senator Daines and I are urging congressional leadership to take up legislation that we are leading that will serve as a long-term solution to our forestry problem and prevent wildfires from ravaging the West in the future. This fire season is a prime example of how badly this legislation is needed, and leadership in the House and Senate need to consider it immediately.”
 
You can find a copy of the letter here or below.
 
September 22, 2020
 
Dear Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader McCarthy,
 
This wildfire season is far from over and already wildland fires have ravaged over six million acres of land across the West costing lives and property, compromising our air and water quality, decimating wildlife habitat, and destroying otherwise productive timberland. Hundreds of thousands of families have been forced to flee their homes, proliferating the impacts of the current health and economic crisis we face.
 
While Congress has enacted meaningful forestry provisions in recent years, it is clear we must do more or our communities will continue pay the price. Wildfires have no physical boundaries, and neither should they have political ones. When a fire is ignited, federal, state, and local entities come together as one, regardless of political affiliation, to coordinate emergency response and protect communities. That same spirit of collaboration is possible in Congress as we seek sound solutions to improve our forests. We urge you to build on the bipartisan reforms enacted in 2014 and 2018 and take action to protect at-risk communities by accelerating bold, broad, bipartisan forest management reform before the end of the year.
 
Fuel, weather, and topography comprise the three legs of the Wildland Fire Behavior Triangle. Of those components, fuel is the only factor we have the ability to manage. Yet year after year fuels accumulate in our forests as management projects go neglected, delayed or obstructed. There is a clear correlation between the decline in timber harvests experienced on our National Forests and the increase in intensity and size of wildfires over the past three decades—both of which have had lasting impacts on the economic vitality of Western, rural communities. While our forests burn, our economic, recreational, and aesthetic capital burns with it.
 
While we recognize the ecological role wildfires can play in ecosystems, the severity and intensity of wildfires supersede that which should be occurring. Bureaucratic processes, burdensome regulations, external pressure, and judicial activism hamstrings our federal agencies from completing work on the ground in a timely manner. We must arm our federal land agencies with the tools they require to sustain the health and productivity of our nation’s forests. Doing so is compatible with efforts to reduce emissions, as well-managed forests and the buildings constructed by the sustainable wood products that come from them have the potential to sequester carbon.
 
It is clear that we are past the point of merely discussing forest policies—we need bold forest management reform now. Over the course of the last two years, Western Caucus Members have introduced several legislative proposals that would improve the health and resiliency of our forests and promote active management surrounding at-risk communities. The bicameral and bipartisan Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act is one such proposal that contains comprehensive forestry reforms and is supported by a strong coalition of stakeholders. We believe this offers the best starting point for broad forest management reform.
 
Wildfires don’t heed political lines, they impact all Americans the same. During these hyperpartisan times, there aren’t many issues that unite both Republicans and Democrats, but managing our forests to protect our communities can be one of them. Thank you for considering this request, and we look forward to partnering with you to enact forest management reform this year.
 
Sincerely,
 
Rep. Doug LaMalfa
Sen. Steve Daines
Sen. James E. Risch
Sen. Kevin Cramer
Sen. Mike Crapo
Sen. Martha McSally
Rep. Paul Gosar
Rep. Don Young
Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers
Rep. John R. Curtis
Rep. Louie Gohmert
Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson
Rep. Russ Fulcher
Rep. Ken Calvert
Rep. Greg Gianforte
Rep. Ken Buck
Rep. Debbie Lesko
Rep. Pete Stauber
Rep. Paul Cook
Rep. Larry Bucshon, M.D.
Rep. David Schweikert
Rep. Mike Simpson
Rep. Tom McClintock
Rep. Mark E. Amodei
Rep. Jeff Duncan
Rep. Rick Crawford
Rep. Dusty Johnson
 
 Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.
 
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — As Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) continues to improve vital safety communications for customers that will be used before turning off power to prevent wildfires during severe weather, the company has enhanced its notifications to provide more detail about when power is expected to go out, when it may be restored and where customers can go to find additional information.
 
New Watch and Warning Designations Add Important Details
 
In response to direct customer feedback requesting more information as soon as possible to ensure they have time to prepare and plan in advance of a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event, PG&E will provide Watch and Warning notifications this year.  
 
Watch Alert
Whenever possible, an initial Watch notification will be sent two days in advance of a potential PSPS event, followed by an additional Watch notification one day before the potential PSPS event, notifying customers of the possibility of a PSPS event in their area based on forecasted conditions.
 
Warning Alert
A PSPS Watch will be upgraded to a Warning when forecasted conditions show that a safety shutoff will be needed, and that it is going to happen soon.Whenever possible, Warning notifications will be sent approximately four to 12 hours in advance of the power being shutoff. 
 
Both Watch and Warning notifications are directly tied to weather forecasts, which can change rapidly. For example, predicting the time and area of landfall for tropical storms and hurricanes in the southeast United States.
 
As an example of how notifications have been improved for 2020, customers will see an estimated time when their power will be restored two days before it goes out. Last year, that estimated time of restoration wasn’t provided until the power had been turned off.
 
Watch and Warning alerts will be issued via automated calls, texts and emails. Both Watch and Warning alerts have been enhanced since 2019, tested with customers, adjusted based on their feedback, and will now provide new essential information, including:
 

• Your address so you know you’re getting the accurate information for your home.
• The date and time when power is estimated to be shut off. (For example, between 6 and 10 p.m. on Oct. 7.)
• The estimated date and time when we expect power will be restored. (For example, by 4 p.m. on Oct. 9)

 
When power is turned off, PG&E will provide updates to customers at least once a day until power is restored. Power will remain off until the weather has passed, and equipment has been inspected. PG&E is seeking to cut restoration times in half compared to 2019 so that power is restored to the majority of customers within 12 daylight hours after severe weather has passed. PG&E will send a final notification once power has been restored.
 
“Regardless of reason, we understand how disruptive it is for our customers to be without power. This year will be even more challenging as many of us will need to shelter-at-home in response to COVID-19,” said Laurie Giammona, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for PG&E. “Our goal is to improve our PSPS notifications to help customers plan for an outage when we need to turn off power to reduce the risk of a major wildfire.”        
 
Additional resources
 

• By September, PG&E’s emergency website (www.pge.com/pspsupdates) will be available in 13 languages. Currently, the website is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Russian, Vietnamese and Korean. Six additional languages will be available by September to include Farsi, Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Punjabi and Japanese. Customers will have the opportunity to choose their language of preference for viewing the information when visiting the website.

 

• Customers are encouraged to update their contact information and indicate their preferred language for notifications by visiting www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts or by calling 1-800-742-5000, where in-language support is available.

 

• Tenants and non-account holders can sign up to receive PSPS ZIP Code Alerts for any area where you don't have a PG&E account by visitingwww.pge.com/pspszipcodealerts.

 

• PG&E has launched a new tool on our online Safety Action Center (www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com) to help customers prepare. By using the "Make Your Own Emergency Plan" tool and answering a few short questions, visitors to the website can compile and organize the important information needed for a s personalized family emergency plan. This includes phone numbers, escape routes and a family meeting location if an evacuation is necessary.

 
 
Smaller, Shorter, Smarter PSPS events
 
Here's how PG&E is working to make PSPS events smaller in size, shorter in length and smarter for customers.
 

• Smaller in Size: PG&E is upgrading its electric system to prevent wildfires and reduce the impact of future PSPS events on our customers. The company's efforts this year are expected to reduce the number of customers affected by a potential PSPS event by about one-third compared to a similar weather event last year.

 

• Shorter in Length: PG&E is seeking to cut restoration times in half compared to 2019 so that power is restored to the majority of customers within 12 daylight hours after severe weather has passed.

 
 

• Smarter for Customers: PG&E is working to provide better information and resources to customers and communities before, during and after a PSPS event, including delivering more assistance and outreach to help vulnerable customers. This smarter approach will include giving customers alerts with information about when power will be turned off and back on and upgrading Community Resource Centers (CRCs) so that customers without power have a place to go for device-charging and other basic needs. PG&E remains flexible with CRC deployment plans to adjust to the COVID-19 restrictions and best practices.

 

September 21, 2020


Every autumn, as Daylight Saving Time concludes, the number of vehicle-wildlife collisions on California roadways increases. As drivers adjust to less daylight during the evening commute during the first week of November, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and Caltrans issue a reminder to be alert and aware of animals on the roads and highways. This year, Watch Out for Wildlife Week also falls during a historic fire season, adding additional urgency to the message.
This is the time of year that deer, elk, bears and other animals are typically on the move for migration, mating or foraging – but wildlife has 3 million fewer acres of forest to call home due to numerous fires around the state. It’s even more likely that displaced animals will be using or crossing roads and coming near traffic.
“Currently, people may be seeing diverse species of wildlife displaced due to fire,” said CDFW Conflict Programs Coordinator Vicky Monroe. “Drivers should be especially cautious driving in areas with known habitat disturbance or fire damage and be aware of wildlife that may be active near roads, such as deer, black bears, bobcats, mountain lions, birds of prey and more.”
Vehicle collisions involving wildlife can be both dangerous and costly.  According to the California Highway Patrol, in 2019, three people died and 390 people were injured in 2,204 collisions with animals on state, county and local roadways throughout California.  The UC Davis Road Ecology Center estimates the total annual cost of animal-vehicle conflicts in California to be at least $307 million in 2018.
“Safety remains our foremost priority,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. “This includes doing our part to alert motorists of potential environmental hazards by installing flashing animal crossing warning signs and building larger culverts for safer wildlife passage over and under our roadways.”
Standard driving safety tips carry even more significance in light of habitat loss to the 2020 wildfires. These include:

• Be extra alert when driving near areas wildlife frequent, such as streams and rivers, and reduce your speed especially around curves.
• Don’t text and drive! Leave your phone alone; it can wait.
• Pay extra attention driving during the morning and evening hours when wildlife are often most active.
• If you see an animal on or near the road, know that others may be following.
• Don’t litter. Trash and food odors can attract animals to roadways.
• Pay attention to road shoulders. Look for movement or reflecting eyes. Slow down and honk your horn if you see an animal on or near the road.
• Respect wildlife. California is their home too.