South Lake Tahoe issues local emergency proclamation due to Caldor Fire

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. The City of South Lake Tahoe is outside the evacuation warning and order areas for the Caldor Fire, but they issued a local emergency proclamation Thursday to leverage federal and state resources in response to the Caldor Fire.

The City activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on August 21 to monitor the progress of the Caldor Fire. The EOC facilitates the seamless intergovernmental agency coordination that is necessary to ensure the public’s safety when responding to an emergency situation. In setting up an EOC, there can be a significant strain placed on all resources.

As a result, City Manager Joe Irvin, in his role as EOC Director, issued the proclamation to give the community greater flexibility in response to the fire.

Emergency proclamations are formal documents recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and other governmental agencies, which will then be able to direct disaster relief funds and other key personnel resources to our jurisdiction. In addition, the emergency declaration allows the EOC director to waive procurement rules and issue emergency orders to address a fluid and changing situation. The declaration provides for greater flexibility, while still protecting public safety priorities and the taxpayers’ interests.

California Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for El Dorado County on August 17 when the Caldor Fire was 6,500 acres. Today it is over 136,000 acres. His proclamation paved the way for state resources to be used when necessary. President Biden quickly approved the disaster declaration due to the wildfires through the state.

This emergency proclamation does not indicate any change to evacuation status. To stay up to date on the latest information on the Caldor Fire and evacuation status, visit www.tinyurl.com/EDSOEVAC and www.edcgov.us.