Nearly five years after the Dixie and Beckwourth Complex fires devastated Plumas County, the emergency ordinances created to help residents recover are coming to an end.
Beginning July 1, the county’s temporary wildfire recovery rules will expire, meaning standard planning and zoning regulations will once again apply.
The emergency ordinances were first adopted in August and September 2021 while both fires were still burning. They relaxed land-use rules to allow displaced residents to live in RVs and other temporary housing on their properties while rebuilding. The measures also helped speed wildfire recovery by allowing debris removal, hazard tree work, and temporary staging areas for cleanup operations.
The ordinances were originally set to expire at the end of 2024 but were extended several times, most recently through Ordinance No. 2025-1162, which gave residents an additional six months to secure permanent housing after mandatory debris and hazard tree removal was completed.
On June 2, the Plumas County Board of Supervisors unanimously agreed not to extend the emergency rules again.
That means starting Tuesday, year-round living in an RV, mobile home, or manufactured home that isn’t permanently installed will once again be prohibited in most unincorporated areas of the county unless it’s located in a licensed RV or mobile home park.
There are still some exceptions under county code. Property owners may camp in an RV on private property for up to 120 days each calendar year in certain rural and suburban zoning districts. Residents who have an active building permit to rebuild a home may also be allowed to live temporarily in an RV or manufactured home for up to 18 months while construction is underway.
County officials encourage anyone unsure how the changes affect their property to contact the Plumas County Planning Department or use the county’s online zoning map before July 1.
