CALAVERAS COUNTY, Calif. — Northern California wildfire season is underway, even though this year has had a slow start. But staffing woes are forcing a Calaveras County fire station to temporarily close.
“It's deeply concerning,” said Shannon Sharpe, who lives in Calaveras County.
The banner that reads 'closed due to staffing' hangs in front of the Calaveras Consolidated Fire Protection District (CCFPD) station in Valley Springs near Highway 12 — one of two stations the CCFPD manages.
“It's unfortunate,” said Rhonda Dolley, a Valley Springs resident.
CCFPD leaders say they are losing their staff to other agencies like those in the Bay Area because they get better pay and better working conditions.
The agency is tasked with protecting an area of approximately 163 square miles with a population of 15,000.
“We are in fire country, pretty much,” said Fred Fields, a Valley Springs resident.
It’s that threat that has residents like Fields worried tragedy could strike on a day this station is closed.
“I think people up here don't remember the last fire, we got evacuated,” said Fields.
Sharpe and a few other residents have gathered enough signatures to qualify for a one percent countywide sales tax increase to fund fire services.
“It's such a minimal tax. Not just this station, but other stations that have been in jeopardy of closing or aren't manned. We know that there will be staff there to meet the need,” said Sharpe.
A similar tax was shot down last year, failing by 300 votes. Sharpe hopes this time is different.
“We are hoping to really educate everyone in the county to be in favor because we feel that they didn't have all the information clearly explained to them before when they voted,” said Sharpe.
She says they will submit those signatures on Tuesday, hope it will pass Spring of 2024.
For now, as the browning out of the station continues, they are just hoping to make it safely through this wildfire season.
