Our District

In 1949 community members of Meadow Vista came together through the Grange to create the Meadow Vista Fire Department.  The first truck was a 1934 Dodge bought in 1950.  Through community fund raisers and donations the current fire station site in Meadow Vista was purchased in 1953 and a new Ford (fogger) truck was ordered.

In 1977 the engine bays at the Meadow Vista Fire Station were built.

In 1979, Placer County established Company No. 31 at the Weimar Institute to assist in the County contract with the California Department of Forestry.  

In 1980, members of the Applegate and Weimar communities came together to develop Engine Company No. 31.  In 1983, the fire station at Applegate was built by the community and the County provided an engine and a water tender.  John Velican of Weimar provided an engine for the Ponderosa Fire Brigade.

In 1988 the Meadow Vista Fire Protection District, Company No. 31 and the Ponderosa Fire Brigade annexed to become the Placer Hills Fire Protection District.

With funding from the Placer County Board of Supervisors, Placer Hills Fire Protection District built a new station at Weimar Crossroads and purchased a new mini-pumper quick attack engine in 1990.  Also in the same year, the Fire Board hired a part-time Fire Marshal to establish a fire prevention program throughout the district.  The Placer County Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance 4225-B, County Code Chapter 7.50 creating the legal authority for fire districts to collect fees in order to mitigate the impacts of new development.  The Placer Hills Fire Protection District started collecting the Fire Facility Fees in late 1990 and has been able to purchase and/or lease state of the art firefighting engines and equipment.

To further enhance the fire protection of this district, the Fire Board passed a Fire Suppression Benefit Assessment in 1991 which provided daytime staffing during weekdays.  Placer Hills Fire Protection District started providing non-transporting Advanced Life Support Services in 1997.  The Fire Chief was hired full-time in June of 1999.

In 2000, community members Colleen Lewis and Bobby Brown started the Fire Auxiliary which supports the activities of the fire district.

In September 2001, the district staffed one engine with a crew of two, 24 hours per day and an additional engine with 2 during work hours and fire season weekends.  A year later, the district increased staffing to 2 personnel 24 hours per day at both the Meadow Vista and Weimar Fire Stations.  The community approved another Benefit Assessment of $49 in June 2004 to guarantee firefighter coverage.

The district runs a successful volunteer program and in 2012 started a volunteer intern program for graduates of local academies to fulfill their California State Firefighter 1 requirements.

The district has a population of over 12,000, covers an area of 34 square miles and has approximately 4,000 residences.  The annual call volume is just under 1,000.  The insurance rating is a 5 or 8.