Amador County Residents Evacuated In Electra Fire Rely On Law Enforcement To Protect Homes
AMADOR COUNTY (CBS13) — Hundreds of Amador County residents who were evacuated due to the Electra Fire are waiting to return to their homes, but many remain helpless if their homes are targeted by thieves.
Steve Lilly and his wife are camping out in their SUV at the Italian Picnic Grounds, along Highway 49 north of Jackson, not knowing how their home in the small town of Clinton has fared in the Electra Fire.
"The sheriff's department, I think they do a pretty good job," Lilly said. "They have their cars protecting there and their roadblock signs up. If somebody walked in, they could only get what they could carry out."
Like most living in this remote part of Amador County, he relies on neighbors, not cameras, to keep an eye on his house when he's gone. But in this case, everyone near him was also evacuated.
"We can't go in. It's the lesser of the two evils, I guess," evacuee Jeff Gamble said.
"When you leave your home, it's a scary time, and we don't have power right now. So even if they had any type of surveillance cameras, they are not going to be able to check in on them. That's why they depend on us," Amador County Sheriff's Sgt. Jeff Bellotti said.
On Wednesday, Amador County sheriff's deputies arrested two men in two separate incidents for unlawfully being located within an evacuation zone. Authorities say they will remain vigilant along with the help of outside jurisdictions. The sheriff's office is working with Cal Fire and Pacific Gas and Electric to monitor conditions until they are safe enough for residents to return home.
"Yesterday, we got a win. We were able to repopulate a small area on the western side of the fire," Sgt. Bellotti said. "And I think you will see throughout the week, we will be able to get people back into their homes."
Evacuees crowded the fire map outside the county evacuation shelter. With power still out in many parts of the neighborhood, Lilly said there's not much you can do but watch and wait for word.
"You hope for the best, and if something goes wrong, you swallow it and go about your business," he said.