Plumas Supervisors Declare Gray Wolf Emergency, Send Letter to CDFW

At their April 15 meeting, the Plumas County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt a resolution proclaiming a Local State of Emergency related to the presence of gray wolves in the county. The resolution says that wolves have shown a lack of fear of humans, attacking livestock near occupied homes. Fourteen head of livestock have been lost to confirmed wolf kills since December 1, 2024, according to the resolution, and Supervisor Dwight Ceresola noted that several more depredations have been confirmed in recent weeks.

In the resolution, Plumas County found that, without adequate means to protect the public or livestock, there is “extreme peril to the safety of persons and property” and that “persistent wolf attacks have led to devastating losses for livestock producers.” The Board resolved to ask the California Fish and Game Commission and the US Fish and Wildlife Service to give local sheriffs authority to investigate wolf incidents, declare a specific wolf a public safety threat, and authorize its removal.

The resolution also requests the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to consider euthanizing or relocating problem wolves to ensure public safety and prevent livestock losses. However, the resolution clarifies that it is not “a call for widespread lethal control” but a request for “reasonable, focused tools” to allow rural communities to respond to threats in “a responsible and lawful manner.”

Plumas County’s emergency declaration follows a similar declaration made in Sierra County. The Board also voted to send a letter to the Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife reiterating the concerns expressed in the resolution and asking the department for regulatory changes that would allow sheriffs to investigate and respond to wolf incidents.