Placer County Fire Department

Area Served

The Placer County Fire Department (PCFD) provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the unincorporated areas of Placer County. which includes the areas of Alta, Atwood, Auburn, Bowman, Camp Far West Reservoir, Colfax, Dry Creek, Dutch Flat, Foresthill, Fowler, Lincoln, Ophir, Paige, Roseville, Sheridan, Sunset, Thermalands, Thunder Valley and Whitney, all located northeast of Sacramento near the Sierra Nevada mountains in the capital region of northern California. PCFD is part of the CAL FIRE Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit (NEU) with which it operates under a cooperative agreement. The County of Placer stretches from urban South Placer, through the Gold Country Foothills, into the High Sierras of North Lake Tahoe. Incorporated on April 25, 1851, the County was formed from parts of Sutter and Yuba Counties with the City of Auburn as the county seat. Its name was derived from Placer mining which is the mining of stream bed deposits for minerals. Unincorporated Placer County encompasses an area covering 475 square miles, and serves a population of approximately 57,000. It is bordered by Nevada County (California) to the north, Washoe County, Nevada to the northeast, Douglas County, Nevada to the southeast, El Dorado County to the south, Sacramento County to the southwest, Sutter County to the west, and Yuba County to the northwest.

Mutual Aid

Placer County FD has mutual aid agreements with the Auburn Fire Department, the Foresthill Fire Protection District (California), the Lincoln Fire Department, the North Tahoe Fire Protection District, the Northstar Fire Department (California), the Rocklin Fire Department, the Roseville Fire Department, the South Placer Fire District, the Wheatland Fire Authority, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District in Sacramento County, the United States Forest Service, as well as with neighboring departments in the state of Nevada.

Department Profile

The Placer County Fire Department is budgeted for 61 full time/paid firefighters providing structural and wildland firefighting, emergency medical services (EMS), advanced life support (ALS), technical rescue, hazardous materials mitigation, fire prevention, fire investigation, code enforcement, disaster preparedness, and public education to the citizens of unincorporated Placer County. This service is provided under a co-operative agreement with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL Fire). As such, Placer County is protected by the CAL FIRE Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit (NEU) which operates out of three CAL FIRE-owned career fire stations under the "Amador plan" concept (contracted by the county to remain open during the “non-fire” season), located in Alta, Bowman and Colfax, and five county-owned career fire stations located in Dry Creek, Lincoln, North Auburn, Ophir and the Sunset Area. In addition to career firefighters, approximately 33 volunteer plus five resident firefighters operate out of the eight aforementioned stations, as well as from four community volunteer fire stations located in Dutch Flat, Paige, Sheridan and Thermalands.

Combining career and community volunteer stations, PCFD's resources include the following:

• 17 Fire Stations
• 2 Division Chief
• 6 Battalion Chief
• 14 Engine Companies (Two ALS)
• 15 Type 3 wildland engines
• 2 Ladder truck companies (One ALS)
• 2 Rescue squads
• 1 Inflatable rescue boat
• 6 Water tenders
• 1 Hazardous Materials response unit
• 1 Breathing support unit
• 1 Leased Water dropping helicopter
• 1 Type 2 wildland bulldozer
• 1 Dozer transport and lowboy trailer
• 3 Support vehicles (Hazmat, Rescue and USAR)

History

Placer County’s early fire service began in 1941 when the county funded a single firefighter operating principally in the Lincoln area who, while maintaining and operating a single fire truck, responded to fires with local volunteers. Then in 1952, the County entered into an agreement with the California Division of Forestry to provide a staffed fire engine in Western Placer County. Between the early 1950's and late 1970's, county fire protection grew to the point that services were being provided from six stations in Lincoln, Penryn, Foresthill, Bowman, Colfax and Alta. In 1974, Placer County entered into a Cooperative Fire Protection Agreement with CAL FIRE, integrating state and local firefighting resources, both career and volunteer, into an effective fire department. In the twenty years between 1980 and 2000 the county continued to contract for fire protection services with CAL FIRE and by the year 2000, fire protection was being provided by fully staffed stations in Lincoln. Bowman, Colfax and Alta, and from five volunteer stations in Dutch Flat, Fowler, Paige, Thermalands and Sheridan. In 2001, CAL FIRE/PCFD assumed fire protection services in the Dry Creek Fire Protection District area after voters approved a dissolution of that district. Two years later, the United Auburn Indian Community (UAIC) entered into a formal agreement in 2003 with the county for CAL FIRE/PCFD fire protection and advanced life support services for Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln. Then in 2006, CAL FIRE/PCFD assumed fire protection services for the Placer Consolidated Fire District and renamed it North Auburn/Ophir Fire. The Alta Fire Protection District was integrated with PCFD in 2021.

Fire Stations

Station	Address	In Service	Notes
73	4710 Fruitvale Road, Newcastle	? - April 2021	Closed after property taken over by owner.

Apparatus Roster

• All pump/tank measurements are in US gallons.
• Shop number in brackets after unit number.
• California license plate denoted by CA#

East Division

Station 10 - CAL FIRE Auburn - 13760 Lincoln Way, Auburn

Dedicated 1966 - CAL FIRE NEU Unit Headquarters

Engine 10 - Type 1

Brush Engine 10 - International 7400 4x4 / HME Ahrens-Fox Type 3 (1000/500)

Engine 200 (Reserve) - 2003 Spartan Gladiator / Hi-Tech (1500/500/20F)

Division Chief 2304 - 2014 Ford F-250

Battalion 2311 -

Dozer Team 2341

• Dozer 2341 - Caterpillar D6N Type 2 wildland
• Dozer Tender 2341 -
• Dozer Transport 2341 - 2019 International HX520 tractor (CA#1574536)
• Dozer Loader 2341 - Cozad lowboy trailer

HazMat Trailer - 2012 Interstate trailer

HazMat Trailer - 2006 Vortech MCI trailer

MCI Trailer - 2015 Featherlite trailer

CAL FIRE Heliport - 13760 Lincoln Way, Auburn

Copter 203 - 1988 Bell 212EP C/N 31302 (Civil Registration N36WL) (-/360) (Leased from and operated by Heli-1 Corp as 6 Whiskey Lima)

Reach 17 - 2015 Airbus Helicopters H135 / Eurocopter EC135P3 C/N 1195 (Civil Registration N891CS) (Contracted through and operated by Reach Air Medical Service)

Station 11 - CAL FIRE Foresthill - 25150 Foresthill Road

Dedicated 1955

Engine 2371 - 2022 International HV 4x4 / BME Type 3 wildland (500/500/20F) (CA#1593657)

Engine 2381 - International 4x4 / HME Type 3 wildland (500/500) (CA#1333015)

Station 30 - CAL FIRE Colfax - 24020 Fowler Road, Colfax

Dedicated 1935 / Rebuilt 2006

Battalion 2313 -

Engine 2353 - International 4x4 / HME Type 3 wildland (500/500)

Engine 2363 - International 4x4 / HME Type 3 wildland (500/500)

Station 32 - CAL FIRE Dutch Flat - 980 Sacramento Street, Dutch Flat

Dedicated 1951 - Volunteer Station

Engine 32 - Spartan Mountain Star 4x4 / Hi-Tech (1500/650)

Hazmat Support Unit -

Station 33 - CAL FIRE Alta - 33752 Alta Forestry Road, Alta

Dedicated 1950s

Engine 2373 - International 4x4 / HME Type 3 wildland (500/500) (CA#1343670)

Engine 2383 - 2021 International HV507 4x4 / BME Type 3 wildland (500/500) (CA#1622867)

Station 36 - CAL FIRE Colfax - 33 West Church Street, Colfax

Dedicated 1951 / Colfax City Volunteer Fire Department / Unstaffed

Rescue 36 - Ram Crew Cab DRW 4x4 walk-around

Station 37 - CAL FIRE North Colfax - 139 Oak Street, Colfax

Dedicated 1970s

Engine 37 - KME Severe Service MFD (1500/750/30F)

Brush Engine 37 - International 4x4 / HME Type 3 wildland (500/500)

Station 98 - CAL FIRE Alta - 33950 Alta Bonnynook Road, Alta

Dedicated 1970s - Volunteer station

Engine 98 - 2003 Freightliner FL 80 / Darley (1250/750/50F)

Water Tender 98 - Ford L-series dryside

Water Tender 98B (Reserve) - International PayStar 5000 6x4 dryside

Station 50 - CAL FIRE Martis Valley - 10277 Truckee Airport Road / Truckee Tahoe Airport, Martis Valley (Nevada County)

Battalion 2315 - Ram 2500 HD 4x4

Engine 2365 - International 7400 4x4 / HME Ahrens-Fox Model 34D Type 3 wildland (500/500) (CA#1333137)

Engine 2385 - International 7400 4x4/ HME Ahrens-Fox Model 34D Type 3 wildland (500/500) (CA#1409124)

West Division

Lincoln Station 70 - 1112 Wise Road, Lincoln

Dedicated 2009

Engine 70 (ALS) - 2011 Spartan Metro Star / Smeal (1250/500)

Utility 70 - 2012 Ford F-150

Station 74 - CAL FIRE Thermalands - 8500 Lakeview Lane, Lincoln

Dedicated 1981 - Volunteer station

Water Tender 73 - International

Engine 74 - Spartan Type 1

Brush Engine 74 - 1981 International Type 3 wildland (500/500)

Water Tender 74 - 2010 International / US Tanker

Station 75 - CAL FIRE Paige - 5390 Nicolaus Road, Lincoln

Dedicated 1981 / Remodeled 1993 - Volunteer station

Engine 75 - 2000 HME / Central States (1500/750)

Brush Engine 75 - 1989 International Type 3 wildland (500/500)

Water Tender 75 - 2010 International

Sunset Station 77 - 1300 Athens Avenue, Lincoln

Dedicated 2004 / Remodeled 2010

HazMat 10 - 2000 Freightliner FL 70 / American LaFrance walk-in (SN#3332)

Engine 77 (ALS) - 2011 Spartan Metro Star / Smeal (1250/500)

Truck 77 (ALS) - 2009 Spartan Gladiator / Smeal (-/-/105' rear-mount) (CA#1228298)

Brush Engine 77 - 2003 International Type 3 wildland (500/500)

USAR Support Unit 77 -

Utility 77 - 2009 Ford F-250

Battalion 2317 - 2011 Ford Expedition

Battalion 2319 - 2009 Ford Expedition

Station 78 - CAL FIRE Sheridan - 4952 Riosa Road, Sheridan

Dedicated 1948 / Rebuilt 1980s - Volunteer station

Engine 78 - 2003 Freightliner FL 70 / Darley (1250/750/50F) (Ex-Engine 74)

Dry Creek Station 100 - 8350 Cook-Riolo Road, Roseville

Combination career / volunteer station

Engine 100 - 2018 Spartan Gladiator / Smeal (1500/500/30F)

Brush Engine 100 - 1987 Ford C-8000 Type 3 wildland

Water Tender 100 - 2009 International 7600 / US Tanker (1000/4000) (SN#A4558)

Utility 100 - 2010 Ford F-250

Engine 101 - 2004 Spartan Gladiator GA41M-2142 / Hi-Tech (1500+200/600/25/25B) (SN#03844) (Ex-Engine 100)

Atwood Station 180 - 11645 Atwood Road, North Auburn

Engine 180 - 2018 Spartan Gladiator / Smeal (1500/500/30F)

Truck 180 - 2008 Spartan / Smeal (-/-/105' rear-mount)

Rescue 180 - Ram 4x4 (carrying 2015 Zodiac inflatable rescue boat)

Rescue Support 180 -

Utility 180 - 2002 command vehicle

Engine 181 - 2018 Spartan Gladiator / Smeal (1500/500/30F) 

Battalion 2318 - 2013 Ford F-350 4x4

Engine 180R (Reserve) - 2000 KME

Ophir Station 182 - 9305 Wise Road, Auburn

Combination career / volunteer station

Engine 182 - 2011 Spartan Metro Star / Smeal (1250/500)

Brush Engine 182 - 1990 International 4900 Type 3 wildland

Water Tender 182 - 1990 International / KME

Breathing Support 182 - 2014 Kenworth T370 walk-around

Utility 182 - 2002 Dodge Ram 2500

Station 184 - CAL FIRE Lone Star - 6150 Grass Valley highway, Auburn

HazMat / Decon 184 -

Placer Fire Center (CCC) - 3710 Christian Valley Road, Auburn

Operated by the California Conservation Corps and CAL FIRE / staffed with a conservationist 1 (C-1) and 12-17 Corps members per crew.

PLR 1 - International 4900 Type 1 IA crew transport

PLR 2 - International 4900 Type 1 IA crew transport

Donner Beacon COM - Donner Ski Ranch

• Unmanned communications repeater site with antenna tower and co-located radio equipment vault

Mount Howell COM/LO - 4.08 KM southwest of Colfax

Dedicated 1930 / Upgraded 1955 / Staffed by Volunteers In Prevention (VIPs) during peak fire season (Memorial Day to Labor Day)

60' steel frame Aermotor observation tower with 7'x7'' BC-101-like cab, catwalk, and parabolic dish antenna for communications

Mount Pluto COM - 4.5 KM south of The Village at Northstar

• Unmanned communications repeater site with antenna tower and co-located radio equipment vault

Northstar COM - Water tank 0.5 KM south of The Village at Northstar

• Unmanned communications repeater site with antenna tower and co-located radio equipment vault

Washeshu Peak COM - 9 KM northwest of Rampart

• Unmanned communications repeater site with antenna tower and co-located radio equipment vault

Station/Assignment Unknown

Battalion 2320 - 2017 Ram 2500 Crew Cab 4x4 w/ canopy (CA#1512729)

2024 International HV507 4x4 / BME Model 34 Type 3 wildland (500/500/20F) (SN#3471)

2024 International HV507 4x4 / BME Model 34 Type 3 wildland (500/500/20F) (SN#3472)

2003 Ford F-350 4x4 (Ex-Rescue 180)

2003 Spartan Gladiator GA41M-2142 / Hi-Tech (1500+125/650/25A/50B) (SN#03854) (Ex-Engine 70)

Spartan Metro Star MFD 10" RR / Toyne pumper (1750,175aux/750/25F)

Retired Apparatus

• 1995 Spartan Diamond DA40T-2142 / Darley pumper (1500+125/650) (SN#1695) (Ex-Engine 10)
• 1995 Ford / E-One Type 1 pumper (Ex-Engine 78)
• 1993 Spartan Diamond DA40S-2142 / Westates pumper (1250+300/750) (SN#92-583-93) (Ex-Engine 101) (Ex-Dry Creek FPD)
• 1992 Ford F-477 / Paragon body brush (125/400) (Ex-Brush 101) (Ex-Dry Creek FPD)
• 1990 International 4900 / Hi-Tech Type 3 wildland (500+100/500/10A) (Ex-Brush 73)
• 1988 Ford L-8000 / Westates pumper (750/700) (SN#6359A) (Ex-Engine 102) (Ex-Dry Creek FPD)
• 1981 Ford C-8000 / E-One pumper (1000/300) (Ex-Engine 78)
• 1981 International S1724 / Westates Type 3 wildland (300+85/500) (SN#9903) (Ex-Brush 70)
• 1980 Pierce Arrow aerial (1250/250/100' rear-mount) (SN#E0874) (Ex-Truck 2531) (Ex-Placer Consolidated FPD) (Ex-Pearl River Fire Department)
• 1978 International S1700 / 1979 B&Z Type 3 wildland (300/500) (SN#C-12-018) (Ex-Brush 100)
• 1977 GMC / ProTech tanker (BP/4000) (Ex-Water Tender 174)

Station Map

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