Butte County approves $840,000 budget amendment for Park and Thompson fire response; CAO explains emergency Rock Creek work

Butte County supervisors on Feb. 25 approved an $840,000 general fund budget amendment to cover emergency response costs tied to the Thompson and Park fires and heard from county leadership about an emergency field action to reduce immediate flood risk.

Andrea Navarro, finance chief for emergency operations, told the board county EOC and Disaster Recovery Operations Center costs charged to county administration totalled $721,000 to date and staff estimate an additional $119,000 for the remainder of the fiscal year, producing the $840,000 request for contingencies. Navarro said total county response costs to date exceed $2,400,000 and that the state has approved 75% reimbursement of eligible costs; the county's federal declaration is under appeal.

The board approved the staff recommendation to move $840,000 from the general fund contingencies to county administration. Supervisors discussed which costs are charged to which funds and staff said they try to claim every eligible cost from Cal OES and FEMA.

In a separate report, Chief Administrative Officer Andrew Pickett described a one‑time emergency protective action taken earlier this month to clear a shifted bifurcation on Rock Creek after forecasts showed a strong atmospheric river and warnings of debris flows. "I have the authority to allow public resources to be used on private property in the face of imminent danger and a threat of life and safety," Pickett said, and explained the action was intended to divide flows and prevent potential mass destruction to homes.

Staff said disaster‑related costs are often reimbursable partly by the state and potentially by the federal government, but that such reimbursements are a long process and the county needs contingency appropriations to respond in the interim.