TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Ryan J. Alsop, County Executive Officer
REPORT BY: Thomas C. Zeleny, Chief Deputy County Counsel
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Continuing the State of Local Emergency Due to Pervasive Tree Mortality
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt a Resolution continuing the State of Local Emergency due to pervasive tree mortality in Napa County. (No Fiscal Impact)
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BACKGROUND
CalFire conducted aerial surveys of Napa and Lake Counties in December of 2021 and January of 2022. The surveys revealed widespread conifer mortality due to the ongoing drought, and additional tree mortality exacerbated by populations of bark beetles, as fire and drought-stressed conifers provide ideal host material for a bark beetle population to establish and grow. On July 12, 2022, the Board of Supervisors heard a presentation on local tree mortality from experts in both entomology and tree mortality, and directed staff to return with a proposed resolution declaring a state of local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality in Napa County.
On September 13, 2022, the Board of Supervisors proclaimed a State of Local Emergency due to pervasive tree mortality in Napa County, pursuant to Resolution No. 2022-132. Government Code section 8630(c) requires local agencies to revisit proclamations of local emergency at least once every 60 days until the local emergency is terminated. Pervasive tree mortality in Napa County continues to present a substantial risk of dead and dying trees fueling high intensity wildfires imperiling persons, structures, crops and wildlife, destroying watersheds with incredible ecological diversity, and releasing huge quantities of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. If adopted by the Board, the proposed resolution will continue the State of Local Emergency due to pervasive tree mortality in Napa County and extend the emergency powers of County officials as set forth in Resolution No. 2022-132.
On September 5, 2023, Napa County sent a letter to C...
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