Plumas DA addresses fire evacuations

Editor’s note: There have been reports of individuals refusing to evacuate, which consumes valuable time and resources and puts others’ lives in jeopardy. The following is a message from District Attorney David Hollister:

First, we are all grateful for the brave and tireless work by our emergency responders, especially our fire fighters.

Second, it is crucial we promptly follow emergency evacuation orders. Failure to comply with such an order is a misdemeanor under Section 8665 of the Government Code and Sections 409.5 and 148(a)(1) of the Penal Code. More importantly, not evacuating puts the lives of our emergency responders as risk. None of us would want to see a person burdened with the fact a lapse in judgment in not following an evacuation order led to the harm to a fire fighter or police officer.

Finally, local law enforcement is working very hard to safeguard evacuated neighborhoods. Should an opportunist think they can use this crisis to burglarize a residence or steal property in an evacuated neighborhood they can be assured they will get caught and they will experience a swift and severe punishment far outweighing the bounty of any crime they might be tempted to commit.

Again, thank you to all in Plumas County for their perseverance, help and strength in community. We are all rooting and praying for Plumas County, especially those making incredible sacrifices to keep us safe.