Board adopts urgency ordinance to enable phase 2 fire debris removal after September lightning complex

The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors adopted an urgency ordinance on Oct. 14 to establish requirements for removal of fire-damaged debris from private property after the TCU September lightning complex. The ordinance was adopted under Government Code provisions allowing expedited action in emergencies.

Dorey Beats of the county Office of Emergency Services told the board the urgency order is required to move into Phase 2 of debris removal, specifically for properties destroyed by the September lightning complex and the 65 Fire in Chinese Camp. Beats said the ordinance is modeled after a 2021 urgency order adopted for debris removal after the Washington Fire.

Why it matters: The ordinance clears procedural and legal hurdles that allow the county to proceed with state-coordinated debris-removal operations and to meet state and federal program requirements for Phase 2 cleanup.

Vote and legal basis: Supervisors voted to adopt the urgency ordinance by the required supermajority; County Counsel confirmed the ordinance followed Government Code Section 25123(d) (urgency ordinances) and coordination requirements with the California Office of Emergency Services and the state debris-management team.

Next steps: County staff will proceed with Phase 2 debris removal planning and solicit bids under the terms authorized by the adopted urgency ordinance. The board recorded a 4–0 vote, with one supervisor absent.

Ending: The action was presented as time-sensitive and necessary to maintain eligibility for state-led debris-removal assistance.