REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 10, 2024
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Proclamation of Local Emergency - Line Fire
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Ratify action taken by the Chief Executive Officer, while serving as the Director of Emergency Services on September 7, 2024, proclaiming the existence of a local emergency within San Bernardino County as a result of the Line Fire.
2. Continue the local emergency, which still exists and continues to be an emergency, for an additional period in accordance with Government Code section 8630, subdivision (c).
(Presenter: Crisanta Gonzalez, Director of Emergency Management, 356-3988)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not require the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as there is no cost or financial impact associated with ratifying the proclamation or continuing this local emergency. The County, however, has incurred significant costs resulting from this emergency. The preliminary damage estimates are still being collected due to the ongoing fire. Damage estimates, including response costs, are not fully determined at this time but could potentially require the use of additional Discretionary General Funding. Should this occur, a future item will be submitted to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Beginning on the evening of September 5, 2024, a vegetation fire started at the eastern end of the City of Highland, with the fire (known as the Line Fire) moving north-northeast into vegetation and rural areas. Fire suppression efforts were immediately underway, led by the United States Forest Service Firefighters and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Cal Fire was assisted by firefighters from other agencies, including the City of Highland and support from San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (SBCFPD). Additional resources were immediately requested, including multiple additional fixed wing and helicopters. Multiple night flying helicopters were also utilized.
Beginning September 6, 2024, evacuation orders and warnings were issued, and sheltering for humans and animals was set up on September 7, 2024. Under hazardous fire conditions, including hot, dry weather and wind conditions, the fire had consumed approximately 7,000 acres by September 7, 2024, and began to burn over communities within SBCFPD local response areas, necessitating SBCFPD and the Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator’s Department to enter into the unified command. The fire conditions have also caused many county school districts to close.
Beginning on September 9, 2024, the Line Fire resulted in the temporary closure of portions of State Route (Highway) 38 and State Route (Highway) 330, which are major mountain arteries. The fire has also produced hazardous air quality and thunderstorm conditions within the county. As of September 9, 2024, the Line Fire had grown to over 20,000 acres, per Cal Fire.
The Line Fire has imperiled the safety of people, property, and the environment within the county and has resulted in, among other direct outcomes, road closures, evacuation warnings and orders, and sheltering. Because of the extensive damage resulting from this fire, on September 7, 2024, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), while serving as the Director of Emergency Services, proclaimed the existence of a local emergency.
On September 7, 2024, the Governor of the State of California also declared an emergency in the county due to the Line Fire. Approval of this item will ratify that action taken by the CEO and will continue the local emergency as conditions threatening the safety of persons and property still exist.
Pursuant to Government Code section 8630, subdivision (c), the Board shall review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the Board terminates the local emergency.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 9, 2024; San Bernardino County Fire Protection District (Martin Serna, Deputy Chief, 387-5779) on September 9, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on September 9, 2024.