Title
Adopt Resolution to ratify the County Administrative Officer’s Proclamation of Local Emergency due to the Dolan Fire that is causing conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property nearby (4/5th vote required). (ADDED VIA ADDENDA)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors ratify the County Administrative Officer’s Proclamation of Local Emergency dated August 20, 2020, in accordance with California Government Code § 8630 to assist the operations of Monterey County in the response to and recovery from the Dolan Fire which began on August 19, 2020 and continues uncontrolled as of this date.
SUMMARY:
Pursuant to Section 2.68.060 of the Monterey County Code and Section 8630 of the Government Code, the County Administrative Officer or his designee, or the Board of Supervisors is empowered to proclaim the existence of a local emergency when the County is affected by a public calamity.
On August 19, 2020, a fast moving wildfire broke out in the Big Sur area of Monterey County and quickly destroyed hundreds of acres of valuable wildland and watershed; and resulted in evacuations and displacement of residents, road closures, areas of isolation, damage to property, utility systems, and critical infrastructure. The Dolan Fire is causing conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property south of Big Sur, and other areas of the County. Extremely dry conditions and unpredictable weather create an extreme fire hazard and erratic fire behavior throughout the State of California, including Monterey County.
DISCUSSION:
Efforts to bring the wildfire under control and to assist the affected population with evacuation, care and shelter immediately involved county government, the Emergency Operations Center, and public works officials; county, State and federal fire, law, and emergency services; American Red Cross, SPCA, CERT, and other volunteer and private sector assets. The fire, which is uncontained at this time, has burned over almost 7,000 acres and threatens numerous structures as well as causing damage to critical natural resources. Many firefighters and an Incident Management Team continue to combat this fire. The Governor of California has proclaimed a state of emergency for the State as well as for Monterey County on August 18, 2020, due to wildfire conditions.
Conditions existing throughout the fire to date are beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the County of Monterey and require the combined forces of other political subdivisions, county partners and stakeholders to combat.
Action by the Board of Supervisors as recommended herein will document the extreme nature of the fire and its effects on the local communities. The County Administrative Office and Office of Emergency Services will update the Board of Supervisors periodically concerning the emergency and efforts to assess, plan for, remove, abate, restore and mitigate the hazardous conditions that continue to threaten the area at this time.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The hazard abatement, mitigation, and recovery efforts will involve the cooperation and assistance of local, State and federal fire suppression and law enforcement resources; County Public Works, Resource Management Agency, Public Health, Environmental Health and Office of Emergency Services assets; the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services; local fire districts; American Red Cross; SPCA for Monterey County and CalFire. Critical non-profits including Community Foundation, United Way, and other Private/Non-profit organizations.
FINANCING:
Damage to date has been primarily to privately owned and state lands but could spread to County owned or controlled lands. Damage to county public infrastructure is unknown. A Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) has been requested by Cal Fire for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for firefighting and fire support costs. The Governor’s Office of Emergency Services CalOES has been sent a request for reimbursement through the California Disaster Assistance Act for eligible costs for recovery. Cost accounting codes will be provided to Department heads to assist them with tracking their costs.
Prepared by:
_______________________________________________
Gerry R. Malais
Emergency Services Manager
Approved by:
_______________________________________________
Nicholas E Chiulos
Assistant County Administrative Officer
Attachments: draft Resolution ratifying proclamation of Local Emergency, dated August 20, 2020; Emergency Proclamation signed by CAO