Days after a late February storm ripped through Amador County, foothill residents are still in cleanup mode as they deal with snapped trees, damaged homes and days-long power outages. In small communities like Amador Pines and Pioneer, neighbors have been out with chainsaws and trucks, cutting fallen trunks, hauling debris and tarping battered roofs while volunteer crews and local businesses lend a hand. Officials and residents say the destruction is extensive enough that the toughest-hit pockets of the county could be cleaning up for months.
Neighbors cutting trees and patching homes
At the Buckhorn Mobile Home Park in Pioneer, a resident identified only as Dave has emerged as a de facto foreman of the neighborhood cleanup, walking reporters past snapped trunks, crushed cars and battered homes. He described a close call when a tree “landed on a person and squished a front headlight about four inches from his head.” Local companies and volunteers have been doing free work for elderly and isolated neighbors, delivering fuel and repairing roofs to get people through the aftermath. These scenes were documented by CBS Sacramento.
County task force coordinates with Cal Fire and PG&E
Amador County Supervisor Jeff Brown said he helped pull together a storm response task force that united the county's Office of Emergency Services, Cal Fire, contracted snow-removal crews and PG&E to punch through blocked roads and give utility teams a safe way into damaged areas. “We’re working as hard as we can,” Brown told CBS Sacramento, as county leaders warned that some neighborhoods had gone days without reliable power while crews focused on life safety and access.
PG&E crews have been working in hazardous conditions to clear downed trees and lines, with local reporting putting the outage count at more than 2,500 customers in Amador County during the week after the storm. A PG&E spokesperson said workers sometimes had to halt repairs when new trees came down on or near vehicles, further slowing restoration. The utility told reporters it expected to have power back on for the vast majority of affected customers by midweek. KCRA covered the on-the-ground restoration work and timeline.
Amador County declared a local emergency so officials could formally request more state support; Sheriff Gary Redman signed the proclamation, and the American Red Cross opened an overnight shelter at the Jackson Civic Center for residents without heat or electricity. Local outlets and county notices outlined a multi-agency response that includes public works crews, Caltrans, CHP, the Amador Fire Protection District and other partners coordinating debris removal and public safety checks. FOX40 reported on the emergency declaration and the shelter activations.
Officials are urging residents to steer clear of downed wires, look in on elderly neighbors and sign up for county emergency alerts to stay current on changing conditions. The Amador County Office of Emergency Services is managing updates, shelter information and damage reports while volunteers and contractors keep cutting, hauling and repairing in the weeks ahead. Amador County is posting periodic alerts and resources for affected residents.
