BY MADISON SMALSTIG, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Napa County’s public health officer has declared a local health emergency in response to the Pickett Fire, warning that toxic debris inside the 6,803-acre burn area could threaten the region’s water supply.

Christine Wu signed the proclamation Monday, authorizing the immediate removal of hazardous waste and other dangerous materials within the fire’s footprint. The decision follows confirmation from another county department and affected water districts of “increased turbidity,” or cloudiness, “and heightened demand on local water systems,” county spokesperson Linda Weinreich told The Press Democrat.

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