PLACER COUNTY, Calif. — With the Mosquito Fire moving primarily to the northeast and away from communities of Foresthill and Georgetown, many Placer County evacuees want to know when they can return home.
"The big question is when do we really get to go home?" asked Warner Leverette, who joined the trickle of evacuees who stopped at a Cal Fire information board in front of the Raley's on Foresthill Road.
The short answer is, not until it's safe, according to Cal Fire.
"We won’t let people back in until it’s deemed actually safe, not just from fire, but safe for re-inhabitation," said Cal Fire spokesperson Chris Vestal. "That means utilities are restored, that means that any other hazards that the fire created are also removed."
Inside the evacuation zone in Todd Valley, resident Jeff Burnette has chosen to stay behind with his animals. He still has power and running water and a way out if he needs to go.
"I don’t want to be the guy that has to call somebody special to make a special trip to rescue me. I can get myself on the road," Burnette said.
His daughter, Briana, remains on the other side of the evacuation zone, where she heard rumors that the evacuations could last as long as Oct. 15.
That's not correct, according to Cal Fire. Oct. 15 was the estimated date for 100% containment of the Mosquito Fire. It doesn't have anything to do with repopulation.
Not everyone will likely get to repopulate at the same time, Vestal said. More likely, it will come in phases on the basis of safety and fire conditions.
"But we don’t put those evacuation orders in place unless we believe that there’s a significant life safety threat, and we don’t let people return home until that has been removed," Vestal said.
WATCH ALSO:
