Northshore Fire Protection District in financial distress; CalFire readies resources, burn ban begins May 1

ERTH reported on May 6 that the Northshore Fire Protection District (NFPD) is facing significant fiscal strain following the resignation of Chief Banks and the appointment of Chief Donnelly.

ERTH said the agency is in “dire straits” and may place a ballot measure on the ballot to raise fees; officials warned that failure of a fee measure could raise the possibility of bankruptcy. ERTH did not provide a specific timeline for a ballot measure but indicated the district is exploring options to stabilize finances.

CalFire Chief Paul Duncan briefed the meeting on regional firefighting resources: CalFire is currently at full staffing for the area that covers Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Colusa, Yolo and Solano counties and expects to receive another air tanker on June 1. Chief Duncan said a burn ban begins May 1 and described progress on Zone 0 vegetation-clearance measures (which would require clearing vegetation up to five feet). He urged residents to evacuate when asked by authorities to preserve firefighting capacity for active incidents.

Attendees asked about creating ridgeline firebreaks and about the use of sound frequencies for fire response; ERTH noted those questions for follow up. The report included a recommendation that residents comply with evacuation requests to allow crews to focus on suppression.

Next steps: NFPD leaders are considering a ballot measure to address funding; CalFire’s additional air tanker is expected June 1 and the burn ban is in effect for the season beginning May 1.