EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. — The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office announced that there's a new way for people to find out whether their homes were damaged in the Mosquito Fire.
Authorities said Cal Fire's Damage Inspection Specialist Team started assessments and is currently working in the Volcanoville, Georgetown and Quintette areas. A new map shows the conditions of some homes in the area.
"The DINS Team reports findings on property damage on three levels: Not affected, Damaged or Destroyed. If a property is Damaged or Destroyed the DINS Team will take a picture of the property and post it to a website; if the property is not affected, there will not be a picture," the sheriff's office said on Facebook.
However, these assessments will be ongoing as the fire continues to burn. The map will be updated as information becomes available. Officials said to check the map periodically if a home address hasn't been assessed yet.
The Mosquito Fire has spread to nearly 65 square miles with only 10% containment so far, according to Cal Fire. More than 5,800 structures in Placer and El Dorado counties were under threat and some 11,000 residents of communities including Foresthill, Volcanoville and Georgetown are under evacuation orders.
The fire has burned numerous homes but fire officials haven't released an estimate yet.
The map can be found at this link or by looking at the map embedded below.
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, the 2021 fire season started earlier than previous years, but also ended earlier, as well. January 2021 saw just under 1,200 acres burned from nearly 300 wildfires. Fires picked up in the summer when the Dixie Fire burned in five Northern California counties — Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama. The Dixie Fire started on July 13 and wasn't contained until Oct. 25, burning nearly 1 million acres. It has since become the second-largest wildfire in state history and the largest non-complex fire.
Overall, 2.5 million acres were burned in 2021 from 8,835 wildfires. Over 3,600 structures were destroyed and 3 people were killed.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, and supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and knowing your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
What questions do you have about the latest wildfires? If you're impacted by the wildfires, what would you like to know? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310.
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