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Mountain Democrat photos by Eric Jaramishian
Cal Fire firefighters ready a hose lay to contain a fire that broke out at the 1500 block of Moccasin Trail, west of Somerset, which spread to 50 acres and burned at least one building on the afternoon of July 2.
Moccasin Fire scorches wildland Noel Stack Editor
Fire crews continue to battle the Moccasin Fire, which has thus far burned 51 acres and is 25% contained, according to the latest Cal Fire report. “Crews will continue throughout the day to strengthen the control lines and mop up hot spots,” a Cal Fire social media post notes. Evacuation orders
remain in place for all or portions of Oak Hill Road, Moccasin Trail, Nashville Trail, Metate Trail, Calamity Lane, Rocky Ridge Road, Los Cerros Drive, Pepperland Road and Meander Lane in southern El Dorado County. Evacuation warnings have been issued north, east and southwest of the fire. See link here for affected areas: app. perimeterplatform.
com/incidents/ polygon/22774. The blaze began as a structure fire around 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, and spread into nearby vegetation. By 3:15 p.m. the El Dorado County Fire Protection District reported 15 acres had burned. At 6:10 p.m. that figure was estimated at 50 acres with multiple fire agencies on scene, including aircraft. Firefighters are
working in triple-digit heat, traversing hilly terrain filled with trees and brush in some areas. “Good progress has been made on the Moccasin Fire thus far. The fire has slowed considerably and retardant lines are holding,” EDCFPD officials reported shortly before 4 p.m. July 2. Crews worked through the night to maintain those containment lines.
Law enforcement officers on Oak Hill Road direct traffic away from the fire Tuesday afternoon. Road closures and detours remained in effect as of press time. “The fire was very active and the access and geography presented challenges to ground crews,” an EDCFPD post noted Wednesday. “Aircraft,
both fixed wing and rotary, were used heavily with great success.” Roadblocks remained in place along the ■ See FIRE, page A11
Cannabis cultivation getting new tax structure Eric Jaramishian
Staff with the Commercial Cannabis Division of the Planning and Building Department and the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office brought Ordinance 5203 to the Board of Supervisors during its June 25 meeting which would change the tax rate structure for all cannabis cultivation from square footage rates to a 3% percent
Senior staff writer
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El Dorado County officials are in the process of changing the county’s commercial cannabis cultivation tax structure from square footage rates to a gross receipt percentage, which is likely to become effective July 16.
of gross receipts for one year. “(It’s) a little cleaner and you’ll recall in earlier conversations with the industry that this is something they were asking for as well, and all of us agreed,” Assistant Director of Planning Chris Perry told the board. The percentage would escalate by one half every year until it reaches
CHP motorcycles back on the road Eric Jaramishian Senior staff writer
Placerville’s California Highway Patrol office has brought back motorcycle patrol after nearly a decade-long hiatus, rolling out two bikes this far. CHP–Placerville temporarily halted the
program in 2015 due to personnel transfers, retirements and lack of ridership interest; the bikes were transferred to another CHP agency. The law enforcement agency is revamping motorcycle patrols due to increases in ■ See CHP, page A11
4%, with increases set to begin on July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026. “This will give us time to evaluate its appropriateness and we can always come back to the board if it needs to be recalibrated, but we at least wanted to have that small percent escalator,” ■ See CANNABIS, page A11
California Highway Patrol Officer Alex Whitley rolls through downtown Placerville on a motorcycle Monday morning. Placerville’s CHP office has brought back motorcycle patrols after not having the service for nearly 10 years. Mountain Democrat photo by Eric Jaramishian
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