Placer Hills Fire Protection District

One of several fires your Placer Hills Fire Firefighters have been on in the last 24 hours.

Nature has decided to grace us with winter. Please use caution when navigating the slick snow and ice covered roadways of our community. Here is a video of Brush 86 responding to an incident this morning. Brush 86 is a 4x4 Type 3 Fire Engine that typically responds to vegetation fires as its primary mission. This piece of apparatus also serves a special purpose during days like today. It is a vital piece of our inclement weather response plan and ensures we can safely access areas of our jurisdiction that would be otherwise challenging during snow and other compromising roadway conditions. Brush 86 deploys out of our Weimar fire station which sits at approximately 2300’ above sea level.

*COMMERCIAL VEHICLE FIRE* Placer Hills Firefighters, with automatic aid from CALFIRE, responded to a commercial vehicle fire on East bound Interstate 80 just west of Clipper Gap/Placer Hills Road. The fire was contained to the tractor with no extension to the trailer. The number three lane of Interstate 80 East bound is currently closed. The fire is under investigation.

Two engines and a Battalion Chief responded along with automatic aid from CALFIRE to a reported chimney fire in a single family residential dwelling in Meadow Vista. The incident occurred at approximately 6:30 pm and the fire was contained within a few minutes of Placer Hills Firefighters arriving. The incident was determined to be the result of fire place ashes improperly disposed of and not a chimney fire as originally dispatched. ALWAYS: ... take ashes out of the home in a metal canister such as a bucket soak the ashes in water for 24 hours before disposing stir the canister to ensure all coals are saturated with water and thoroughly cooled NEVER: place ashes from your fireplace directly into your trash can leave hot ashes inside your home or on your deck pour the ashes into dry vegetation as it can start an unwanted fire that you may be responsible for (even in the winter) From all of us at Placer Hile Fire, please remember to properly dispose of fireplace ashes and follow safe practices to assist us in keeping our community safe!

*MVA - Motor Vehicle Accident* Engine 84 is on scene of a non-injury, single vehicle accident on Combie Road near Whispering Pines Drive. One lane of Combie Road will be closed until the vehicle is removed from the ditch! CHP is on scene and investigating the accident.

Well, now we are just bragging! Although, we feel Engine 86 has earned it today. The photo is a screenshot from a local Facebook page. We were unable to share the post, but wanted to make sure the message was shared. Well done to Engine 86 B-shift. Engine 86 delivered a special Christmas package to, Robby a huge fan of firefighters and a Weimar resident. Merry Christmas, Robby, from all of us at Placer Hills Fire. Nevada County Professional Firefighters-Local 3800

While in Newcastle today on a detail at Station 41, your Placer Hills Firefighters saw an opportunity to best serve the Newcastle community. The Christmas tree in the town square had fallen over and spilled its ornaments all over the parking lot. Engine 86 assisted in uprighting the tree and rehanging the ornaments! It’s actions like these that make us proud of our employees and our integral role in the communities we protect including all of Weimar, Applegate, Meadow Vista, Clipper Gap, parts of Auburn, Colfax and through our administrative and operational contract, Newcastle. Nevada County Professional Firefighters-Local 3800

With the holiday season upon us please remember to stay vigilant to ensure this Christmas season is a safe one. For additional home safety information visit NFPA.org

*Door Yard Burn Suspension*

Your Placer Hills Firefighters at Station 84 are participating in the physically distanced, trick or treat (in some cases trunk or treat) event in Meadow Vista. Stop on by and say hi (from a distance), get a piece of candy and a picture with Engine 84, Rescue 84 or both!

*VEHICLE FIRE INTO THE VEGETATION Interstate 80 East Bound East of Clipper Gap Placer Hills Firefighters along with CALFIRE/Placer County Fire responded to an RV towing a boat on fire with threat to the vegetation. Units arrived and found a motor home well involved with fire and the vegetation beginning to ignite. Units quickly contained the vegetation fire and prevented the fire from spreading to the boat. No injuries have been reported and units will remain on scene providing complete extinguishment. CHP is on scene providing scene safety and traffic control. One lane of east bound Interstate 80 will remain closed for the next thirty minutes.

As nearly every address within our fire district experiences a power outage due to the Public Safety Power Shutoff, we wanted to share a bulletin to enhance safety when using a generator for back-up power. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission advises against using a generator within 20 feet of a window, door or vent and highlights that a generator should never be used within a residence. For additional information visit, https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education.

What are those shirts you’re wearing? We’ve heard this question a lot lately. So we wanted to take a moment to explain what you will be seeing our firefighters wear through the end of October. October is breast cancer awareness month and our employees are proudly displaying their breast cancer awareness t-shirts. We stand in solidarity with those who have or who have had breast cancer. So many of us have been affected in some fashion, having a friend or family member who has fought this disease. We keep each person who is currently fighting, who has fought and won and who tragically succumbed to breast cancer in our thoughts and prayers! We hope for a day that breast cancer no longer exists.

If you see or smell smoke this may be the cause. If you see flames or suspect a closer fire dial 9-1-1. We anticipate the smoke to linger throughout the evening and may still be evident in the morning.

We send our deepest condolences to the San Francisco Fire Department and the family and friends of Firefighter/Paramedic Jason Cortez, who died in the line of duty today.

**Final Update- The fire was contained at 1/2 acre and several firefighters and equipment will remain on scene mopping up for the next 30 minutes. *Update- Per the Incident Commander the fire is contained.* Placer Hills Firefighters assisted by Newcastle Fire along with a full response from CALFIRE are just arriving at scene of a vegetation fire in the Weimar area. The incident is along the train tracks near East Weimar Cross Roads. The first arriving unit reported a large spot burning between the rail road tracks and the roadway. Crews are attacking the fire and updates will be given as information becomes available.

The Placer Hills Fire Department is proudly dispatched by the Placer County Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Office launched today the ability to text 9-1-1. Please read the Sheriff’s Office post and, call if you can, text if you can’t! Thank you to the Placer County Sheriff's Office for enhancing the ability for the public to activate 9-1-1 allowing us to swiftly provide service, without delay and improve the outcome of emergencies.

Your Placer Hills Firefighters with aid from CALFIRE/Placer County Fire extinguished a commercial vehicle fire this afternoon on the West bound I-80 exit at Clipper Gap/Placer Hills Road. The fire was contained to the trailer which was carrying perishable goods, there was no extension to the vegetation or the tractor. The off ramp remains closed by CHP while crews mop up the incident.

Placer Hills Fire is proud to offer for the consideration of qualified candidates the opportunity to serve our community as a Battalion Chief! Interested candidates should visit our website at www.placerhillsfire.org and complete an application found under the tab View> Forms and Applications. *updates highlighted 10/01/2020

This evening around 5:20p Battalion 84 and Engine 86 responded along with CALFIRE/Placer County Fire, AMR, CALSTAR and Foresthill Fire to a medical rescue incident near the Ponderosa Bridge on the North Fork of the American River in Weimar. A technical rescue was performed by fire crews and one patient was transported to a local trauma center by a CALSTAR Air Ambulance.

The Placer Hills Fire Protection District is participating in a new program in Placer County to bring awareness to RED FLAG WARNINGS! A red flag warning is issued for weather events that may result in extreme fire behavior that will occur within 24 hours and could exist in the following 12-72 hours. It is the highest alert for responders and residents thus it should be taken seriously. Look for these flags outside Station 84 - 16999 Placer Hills Road, Meadow Vista and Sta...tion 86 - 100 W. Weimar Cross Roads, Weimar. When these flags are present we are approaching a red flag event that increases our fire danger. What residents should do when a red flag warning is issued is SIMPLE, which stands for: Sign up for Placer Alert Include a go bag in your plan Monitor Placer Hills Fire Facebook page and other local officials such as CAL FIRE NEU Prepare for quick evacuation Learn wildfire safety tips Ensure you have a full tank of gas http://www.placer.ca.gov/redflagprogram

CAL FIRE/Placer County Firefighters responded to a commercial vehicle fire off Magra Road in the Gold Run area this morning. Firefighters made an aggressive att...ack keeping the fire contained to the trailer. Other agencies that assisted were ALTA FIRE DEPT. and Placer Hills Fire Protection District See more