South Lake Tahoe, CA…Though the City remains outside the evacuation warning and order areas, the City of South Lake Tahoe activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on August 21 to monitor the progress of the Caldor Fire. The EOC facilitates the seamless intergovernmental agency coordination that is necessary to ensure the public’s safety when responding to an emergency situation. In setting up an EOC, there can be a significant strain placed on all resources. As a result, the City Manager, acting as the EOC Director, has issued a local emergency proclamation for the City of South Lake Tahoe to leverage federal and state resources in response to the Caldor Fire.

A. Under Section 1.15.030(C) of the South Lake Tahoe City Code, the Director of
Emergency Services is empowered to issue a proclamation of local emergency if
the City Council is not in session, to be ratified by the City Council within seven
days thereafter.
B. On August 17, 2021 , the El Dorado County Sheriff, who serves as the Director of
Emergency Services for El Dorado County, proclaimed a local emergency based on
conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within El Dorado
County due to the Caldor Fire, which started on August 14, 2021 .
C. On August 17, 2021 , Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency in El
Dorado County due to the Caldor Fire, which at that time had burned 6,500 acres in
the Grizzly Flats area and threatened homes and power lines, causing the
evacuation of thousands of County residents .
D. On August 19, 2021 , the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors at a special
meeting ratified a proclamation of county-wide local emergency under the
California Emergency Services Act, California Government Code section 8550 et
seq. , in response to the Caldor Fire.
E. As of August 25, 2021 , the Caldor Fire has grown to more than 125,000 acres
and is spreading in a northeasterly direction towards Echo Summit and the Lake
Tahoe Basin.
F. The Caldor Fire threatens to impair City government operation and delivery of
essential services and may necessitate that the City request mutual aid under the
California Emergency Services Act.
G. The Caldor Fire threatens a condition of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of
persons and property within the City, which are conditions likely to be beyond the
control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City, requiring
the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.
H. The City Council is not now in session and cannot immediately be called into
session.
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED THAT
1. I find that the conditions in Section 1.15.020 of the South Lake Tahoe City Code
and Section 8558(c) of the California Government Code, relating to the
proclamation of a local emergency are met, and that a local emergency now
exists throughout the City of South Lake Tahoe.
2. During the existence of this local emergency, the powers, functions, and duties of
the Director of Emergency Services shall be those prescribed by state law
ord inances, and resolutions of the City of South Lake Tahoe, as well as the City
of South Lake Tahoe’s Emergency Operations Plan.
3. The Director of Emergency Services is authorized to obtain any and all
assistance from local, county, state, and federal agencies, including but not
limited to aid and assistance pursuant to the Californ ia Disaster Assistance Act.
4. The Director of Emergency Services may authorize emergency purchases under
Section 3.45.070 of the South Lake Tahoe City Code as needed to address this
local emergency.
5. The Director of Emergency Services may modify personnel policies as needed to
address this local emergency and maintain essential City services.
6. The City of South Lake Tahoe is subject to immunity under Government Code
section 8655 to the maximum extent provided by law for any actions taken in
furtherance of addressing this local emergency.
7. This proclamation of local emergency shall continue for no more than seven days
unless ratified b City Council.

Emergency proclamations are formal documents recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and other governmental agencies, which will then be able to direct disaster relief funds and other key personnel resources to our jurisdiction. In addition, the emergency declaration allows the EOC director to waive procurement rules and issue emergency orders to address a fluid and changing situation. The declaration provides for greater flexibility, while still protecting public safety priorities and the taxpayers’ interests.

This emergency proclamation does not indicate any change to evacuation status. To stay up to date on the latest information on the Caldor Fire and evacuation status, visit www.tinyurl.com/EDSOEVAC and www.edcgov.us.

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