Sierra County Sheriff's Office

06/13/2026

Update: restoration will be closer to 8 pm tonight.

Updated: unexpected issues, restoration is extended till 3 pm on Saturday

Water Leak on Durgan Flat. Residents affected are in Durham Flat, Nevada and River Street, in Downieville. Expected outage will be 2 hours.

06/11/2026

06/11/2026

Yesterday, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at approximately 11:20 AM, the Sierra County Sheriff's Office was notified of a dirt bike crash on a 4x4 OHV trail near Little Deer Lake in western Sierra County, resulting in injuries to one patient.

Emergency personnel, including Downieville Ambulance, Sierra City Fire Department, and Tahoe Forest Engine 362, were immediately dispatched to the scene. Due to the rugged terrain and difficult access to the patient, the Sierra County Sheriff's Office requested a California Highway Patrol helicopter (H20) to respond for a hoist rescue operation.

As a precaution, Sierra County Deputies, Sierra County Search and Rescue's hasty team, and Sierra City Fire personnel were staged in the area to assist as needed.

CHP H20 successfully hoisted the patient from the crash site and transported them to a landing zone, where they were transferred to a ground ambulance for transport to the hospital.

The Sierra County Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Downieville Fire Department, Sierra City Fire Department, Tahoe National Forest, Plumas National Forest, California Highway Patrol, and Sierra County Search and Rescue for their professionalism, teamwork, and dedication during this rescue operation. Their continued commitment to serving our communities is greatly appreciated.

06/05/2026

The Sierra County Sheriff's Office would like to welcome Deputy Bosworth as our newest deputy.

Deputy Bosworth graduated from the College of the Siskiyous Law Enforcement Academy and is excited to begin his career in law enforcement serving the community he calls home.

A Downieville High School graduate, Deputy Bosworth has deep roots in Sierra County. He is also the son of a retired Sierra County Probation Chief Jeff Bosworth, continuing a family tradition of public service and dedication to our community.

We are excited to have Deputy Bosworth join our team and look forward to the positive impact he will make in Sierra County. He will primarily be assisted to Western Sierra County.

Please join us in welcoming Deputy Bosworth and be sure to say hello when you see him around the community.

06/04/2026

Sierra County Launches New Evacuation Response Team

SIERRA COUNTY, CA – The Sierra County Sheriff's Office, Sierra County Office of Emergency Services (OES), and Sierra County Disaster Service Workers have partnered to create a new Evacuation Response Team (ERT) designed to enhance the county's ability to conduct organized and efficient evacuations during emergencies.

Over the past several weeks, ERT members have completed specialized training focused on evacuation operations, emergency management procedures, and the use of mapping software utilized to track evacuations and provide real-time situational awareness during incidents.

Yesterday, members of the Evacuation Response Team joined Sheriff's Office deputies for a full-scale evacuation training exercise along Highway 49 east of Sierra City. The exercise simulated an evacuation scenario and allowed participants to apply the skills and technology they have learned in a realistic field environment. The training also included deployment of the Sierra County Sheriff's Office/OES Communications Trailer, which serves as a mobile command and communications platform during emergencies and disaster response operations.

The newly formed Evacuation Response Team will play a critical role in supporting law enforcement and emergency management personnel during wildfires, severe weather events, and other incidents requiring evacuations or public safety notifications.

The Sierra County Sheriff's Office and OES would like to extend a sincere thank you to the Sierra City Volunteer Fire Department for allowing us to utilize the Sand Shed Fire Station as a training location and our local USDA Wildlife Services Specialists who participated in the training.

06/01/2026

UPDATE: GALLOWAY ROAD IS NOW OPEN!

06/01/2026

BEAR ACTIVITY IS INCREASING IN SIERRA COUNTY

As temperatures warm and natural food sources change throughout the summer, bear activity is increasing across Sierra County. Now is the time to take steps to reduce attractants around your home and help prevent conflicts between people and wildlife.

Store garbage in a secure building, bear-resistant container, or other bear-proof location. Do not place unsecured garbage cans outside until the morning of pickup day or just before heading to the transfer site.

Avoid feeding pets outdoors whenever possible. If cats or dogs must be fed outside, remove all food immediately after feeding. Pet food is a major attractant for bears and other wildlife.

Keep barbecue grills clean and free of grease and food residue. Clean up fallen fruit from fruit trees and gardens. Store bird seed, livestock feed, and other animal feed in secure containers. Do not leave coolers, ice chests, or food items unattended outdoors.

Keep doors and windows secured, especially when food is present inside homes, garages, sheds, and vehicles. Never intentionally feed bears or other wildlife.

A bear that becomes accustomed to human food sources often loses its natural fear of people and may repeatedly return to homes and neighborhoods. In many cases, these situations can ultimately result in the bear being destroyed for public safety reasons.

By removing attractants and securing food sources, residents can help keep bears wild and reduce the likelihood of dangerous encounters.

If you encounter a bear that is acting aggressively, attempting to enter an occupied structure, or poses an immediate threat to public safety, call 911 immediately and notify the Sierra County Sheriff's Office.

For non-emergency issues or questions regarding bear activity, contact the Sierra County Sheriff's Office at (530) 289-3700.

Let's work together to keep our communities safe and keep wildlife wild.

06/01/2026

FIREPALOOZA 2026 IS BACK!

Join us on Saturday, June 6, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Sierraville School for Firepalooza 2026!

As we prepare for another wildfire season, Firepalooza is a great opportunity for Sierra County residents to learn about wildfire preparedness, evacuation planning, defensible space, and emergency communications.

Sheriff Mike Fisher will be speaking about:

1. Evacuation procedures and planning

2. Emergency alert and warning systems

3. What residents can do now to prepare for wildfire emergencies

Sheriff's Office staff will be available throughout the event to:

1. Sign residents up for the Sierra County Everbridge Emergency Alert System

2. Verify and update existing Everbridge registrations

3. Answer questions about emergency notifications and evacuation alerts

The Sierra County Sheriff's Office/OES Communications Trailer will also be on display. Stop by to see the County's mobile command and communications capabilities used during emergencies, evacuations, and major incidents.

The event will feature fire and evacuation safety experts from local, state, and federal agencies, along with a free BBQ lunch, guest speakers, Smokey Bear, and activities for the whole family.

Sierraville School
305 S. Lincoln Street, Sierraville

Don't wait until an emergency happens. Come learn how to stay informed, stay prepared, and stay safe.

We look forward to seeing you there.

05/28/2026

ROAD CLOSURE NOTICE – WESTERN SIERRA COUNTY

Galloway Road is currently CLOSED and is not passable to any vehicles at this time. There is no available detour.

The closure points are:
• 145 Galloway Road in Downieville
• Galloway Road at the intersection of USFS Road 401-2 (Rock Creek Cabin)

Please avoid the area and seek an alternate route.

For additional information, contact the Sierra County Public Works Office at (530) 289-3201.

05/22/2026

AT&T PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Temporary Landline and 911 Service Disruption – May 22

AT&T advised the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office that the communities of Alleghany, Downieville, and Sierra City will have a planned telecommunications system upgrade that will temporarily affect landline phone service.

On the evening of May 22, beginning at approximately 8:05 PM, a service migration will occur that will impact wireline (landline) phone service in these areas.

During this time:

Landline phones will not have dial tone and cannot make or receive calls.

911 service from landlines will be unavailable for approximately 10 to 30 minutes.

Cellular (mobile) phone service will NOT be affected.

911 calls placed from cell phones will continue to work. 911 calls made from outside the planned outage area will continue to work, and the Sheriff's Office Dispatch will continue to receive 911 calls.

Important Public Safety Guidance:

Residents in areas with cellular coverage should rely on their mobile devices, use a cell phone to dial 911

If you do not have access to a cell phone, consider making arrangements in advance with neighbors or family members who do.

Sheriff’s Office Administrative Line Impact:

The Sheriff’s Office main administrative line (530) 289-3700 and fax line may be temporarily unavailable during this transition.

However, the Sheriff’s Office 911 lines will remain operational and will continue to receive emergency calls.

This is a planned and temporary disruption. Full service will be restored as soon as the migration is complete. The estimated outage is believed to be about 10 to 30 minutes.