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California County
Plumas County, California
The Feather River Canyon and the most scenic railroad in America - from the Western Pacific Railroad's spectacular Feather River Canyon route (used by the California Zephyr, widely considered one of the most scenic train journeys in North America, threading through a 2,000-foot-deep granite gorge) to Lake Almanor (a 13,000-acre reservoir providing exceptional fishing and mountain recreation), Lassen Volcanic National Park's northern access, and a timber and recreation county recovering from the 2021 Dixie Fire - California's largest single wildfire in recorded history - which burned 963,000 acres including large portions of Plumas County and destroyed the communities of Greenville and Canyon Dam.
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Office: Plumas County OES – (530) 283-6300 | plumascounty.us
Alert System: Plumas County Alert; CA Alert; NOAA Weather Radio
Shelter Info: Plumas County Fairgrounds (Quincy); school facilities; contact OES
FEMA Region: Region 9
Notes: Northern Sierra Nevada county; Quincy is county seat; wildfire risk (extreme – 2021 Dixie Fire was the largest single fire (not complex) in California history – approximately 1,000,000 acres, destroying the community of Greenville and much of Indian Valley; 2021 Antelope Fire; extreme ongoing risk); earthquake risk; severe winter weather (high Sierra elevations); Feather River Canyon; Lake Almanor; Plumas NF covers most of the county
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Roads: Plumas County Public Works – (530) 283-6231
Transit: Plumas Rural Indian Health Board transit; Plumas Transit Systems – (530) 283-2538; very limited service; completely auto-dependent outside Quincy
Airport: Nervino Airport (Beckwourth); Gansner Field (Quincy); general aviation only; Reno and Sacramento for commercial service
Notes: Hwy 70 (Feather River Canyon – a spectacularly scenic but challenging mountain highway along the Feather River; used by the BNSF railroad – one of the most scenic railroad routes in the US); Hwy 89 runs north-south; Hwy 36 connects to Red Bluff; A15 (Feather River scenic byway); very remote county; extremely dependent on Hwy 70; I-80 at Truckee and US-395 near Reno are the nearest major highways; the county is one of California’s most geographically isolated
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Plumas County Community Development – (530) 283-7011
Services: County permits; Portola has separate permits; no incorporated cities besides Portola and Greenville (Greenville was largely destroyed by Dixie Fire)
Notes: Post-Dixie Fire rebuilding is the dominant permit activity – the fire destroyed approximately 1,000 structures including most of Greenville; Greenville rebuilding has been slow due to remote location logistics; Lake Almanor resort development; limited overall development
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Plumas County Veterans Services – (530) 283-6200
VA Medical: VA Reno, NV – most accessible for eastern county; Sacramento VA (very distant); Chico VA CBOC accessible for western county
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare; very limited local resources
Notes: Remote mountain county; VA access requires significant travel; Dixie Fire displaced many veterans from Greenville; telehealth critical
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Plumas County Library – (530) 283-6310 | plumascounty.us/library
Branches: Quincy, Chester, Portola, Greenville (devastated by Dixie Fire – status uncertain), Crescent Mills
Services: Books, public computers, Wi-Fi, children’s programs; Feather River and Plumas heritage; post-fire community recovery resources
Notes: Small library system; the Greenville branch was in the community destroyed by the Dixie Fire – one of the most tangible impacts of the fire on community services; post-fire recovery resources have become a library priority; the library serves as a critical internet access and social services coordination point in this remote county
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Lake Almanor (large mountain reservoir near Chester – boating; fishing; camping; water sports; beautiful setting at the base of Lassen Volcanic’s southern slopes – Mount Lassen visible); Plumas-Eureka State Park (Johnsville – excellent Sierra Nevada gold mining history; restored stamp mill; skiing legacy; beautiful mountain setting); Feather River (excellent fishing – famed Rainbow trout fishery; several forks with outstanding fishing through spectacular canyons); Bucks Lake Wilderness; Bucks Lake; Mount Hough Trail; Indian Valley (the cultural and agricultural heart of Plumas County – where Greenville was located; rebuilding after Dixie Fire); Portola Railroad Museum (one of the finest railroad museums in California – operating engines that visitors can actually drive)
Notes: Plumas County’s outdoor recreation is excellent and receives far fewer visitors than better-known Sierra counties; Lake Almanor is a beautiful mountain lake; the Feather River’s fishing is legendary; Portola Railroad Museum (where visitors can actually operate vintage locomotives) is a unique and beloved attraction; Plumas-Eureka SP is a little-known gem with outstanding mountain scenery and gold mining history; Indian Valley was the vibrant heart of Plumas County – Greenville’s loss to the Dixie Fire was devastating to the community’s identity and cultural heritage
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Plumas County GIS – plumascounty.us; CalFire maps (critical post-Dixie Fire); USFS Plumas NF maps; Dixie Fire perimeter maps; post-fire erosion and debris flow maps
Notes: County GIS; Dixie Fire perimeter and damage mapping was essential for rebuilding coordination; post-fire debris flow hazard mapping; Feather River watershed hydrology; Lake Almanor level monitoring; PG&E Feather River hydroelectric facility mapping
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Shelter: Plumas County Animal Control – (530) 283-6300
Services: Basic animal control; wildlife management (bears, mountain lions, deer); Dixie Fire animal evacuation and rescue
Notes: Dixie Fire created massive wildlife displacement and some animal rescue operations; black bear management in communities near the forest; mountain lion management; rural county with livestock; Plumas SPCA active
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Plumas County Public Works – (530) 283-6231
Environmental: California SWRCB; Lahontan RWQCB; USFS (Plumas National Forest – covers most of the county); PG&E (Feather River Hydroelectric System – the largest privately owned conventional hydroelectric system in the US, with multiple dams and powerhouses on the Feather River’s North Fork; FERC license renewal ongoing); post-Dixie Fire erosion and sediment delivery to watersheds; Lake Almanor water quality
Notes: The Dixie Fire’s environmental legacy is enormous; the fire consumed approximately 1,000,000 acres of Plumas National Forest – the resulting post-fire erosion and debris flows are delivering enormous sediment loads to Plumas County waterways; post-fire watershed restoration (tree planting, erosion control) is a massive ongoing USFS and CDFW effort; the Feather River’s North Fork carries post-fire sediment that affects Lake Oroville and the State Water Project; PG&E’s Feather River hydroelectric facilities (a complex of dams and powerhouses generating 700 megawatts) are under FERC license renewal – the relicensing process requires environmental flow releases for salmon and other fish; the North Fork Feather River salmon restoration (spring-run Chinook salmon are listed as threatened) is tied to dam operations and post-fire habitat recovery; Greenville’s rebuilt infrastructure will need to meet California’s most stringent wildfire-resistant building standards; PG&E’s role in the Dixie Fire’s ignition (equipment failure on the Fly Fire which merged with the Dixie Fire) is part of ongoing litigation and regulatory proceedings
About Plumas County
Plumas County is the northern Sierra Nevada’s timber and recreation county – a remote mountain community whose extraordinary landscape includes deep granite canyons, volcanic mountains, and high-elevation meadows threaded by the Feather River system.
Quincy (the county seat, population ~4,500) is a pleasant mountain town at 3,400 feet elevation – the county courthouse, local shops, and Feather River College anchor a community that serves as the hub for the surrounding mountain and ranch communities.
The 2021 Dixie Fire – ignited July 13, 2021 and burning for 104 days – became California’s largest single wildfire in recorded history, burning 963,309 acres across Plumas, Lassen, Butte, Shasta, and Tehama counties. In Plumas County, the fire destroyed the historic downtown of Greenville (population ~1,000) – virtually every building on Main Street was burned. The recovery of Greenville and Canyon Dam is ongoing.
The Feather River Canyon – carrying US-70 and the Union Pacific Railroad through a 2,000-foot granite gorge – is one of California’s most spectacular transportation corridors. The former Western Pacific tracks through the canyon provided the California Zephyr’s most celebrated scenery.
Lake Almanor – a PG&E reservoir on the North Fork Feather River near Chester – is one of Northern California’s most popular mountain lakes for fishing, boating, and summer recreation.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
The Plumas County Assessor at 520 Main Street, Suite 205, Quincy, CA 95971, phone 530-283-6380, assesses under Proposition 13 rules. No CA estate tax.
Courts & Legal
Plumas County Superior Court at 520 Main Street, Quincy, CA 95971, phone 530-283-6305, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
CLERK-RECORDER (Deeds, Marriage Licenses)
520 Main St., Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-6218
County Clerk
(530) 283-6218
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Plumas County Superior Court, including the Chester branch (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Plumas County Genealogical Society, Quincy, CA
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Plumas County Superior Court 520 Main Street, Room 104, Quincy, CA 95971 (530) 283-6305 Hours: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.; Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
A branch also serves Chester (222 First Avenue, Chester, CA 96020) for residents in the eastern part of the county.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
California recently increased its small-estate thresholds substantially, so check this first – more estates now qualify to skip full probate than in past years.
Small Estate Affidavit (personal property) – for estates with personal property valued at $208,850 or less (for deaths on or after April 1, 2025; holds through March 31, 2028). No court filing needed – present the signed affidavit directly to the bank or institution holding the property. Must wait at least 40 days after the death, and no probate proceeding can already be pending.
Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property, Primary Residence – for a decedent’s primary California residence valued at $750,000 or less (Judicial Council Form DE-310). Requires a 40-day wait, notice to heirs, and a probate referee appraisal.
Affidavit for Real Property of Small Value – for other (non-primary-residence) California real property valued at $69,625 or less (Form DE-305). Requires a 6-month wait.
Formal Probate – required when the estate exceeds these thresholds. California typically uses the Independent Administration of Estates Act (IAEA), letting the personal representative handle most matters without a court hearing for each step.
California is a community property state – a surviving spouse already owns their half of community property, and can often use a simplified Spousal Property Petition (Form DE-221) instead.
If using the small estate affidavit (personal property)
Wait at least 40 days after the death.
Confirm total qualifying California personal property (excluding trust assets, joint tenancy, POD/TOD accounts, and beneficiary-designated accounts) is $208,850 or less, using date-of-death values.
Complete the affidavit under Probate Code § 13100.
Present it with a certified death certificate directly to the bank or institution – no court filing required. Collecting property this way makes you personally liable for the decedent’s unsecured debts up to the value received (Prob. Code § 13109).
IF USING THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE PETITION OR SMALL REAL PROPERTY AFFIDAVIT
Confirm the property qualifies and the applicable waiting period has passed (40 days for the primary-residence petition; 6 months for the small real property affidavit).
File the petition (Form DE-310) or affidavit (Form DE-305) with the Plumas County Superior Court.
A probate referee appraises the property; heirs receive notice.
Once approved, the property transfers without full probate administration.
If formal probate is required
Deliver the original will (if any) to the court clerk within 30 days of learning of the death (Prob. Code § 8200).
File a Petition for Probate (Form DE-111) to admit the will and request appointment as personal representative.
The court issues Letters Testamentary (Form DE-150) or Letters of Administration.
If Independent Administration authority is granted, the personal representative can act on most matters without separate court hearings.
Notice to creditors and an inventory/appraisal (with a probate referee) follow, along with payment of debts and taxes.
The estate closes with a final petition for distribution.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit / real property affidavits: no court filing fee for the personal-property affidavit; filing fees apply to the DE-310 primary-residence petition and DE-305 small real property affidavit.
Formal probate filing fee: several hundred dollars, varying somewhat by county.
Personal representative and attorney compensation: statutory fee schedule based on estate size (Prob. Code §§ 10800–10810) – a percentage that declines as the estate grows.
No California state estate tax or inheritance tax.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
1400 E. Main St., Quincy, CA 95971
(530) 283-6300
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
CA Voter Registration
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Dept
(530) 283-6307
Medi-Cal
(800) 300-1506
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Plumas County Health Agency – (530) 283-6307
Services: Immunizations, WIC, STI testing, environmental health, vital records; behavioral health; post-Dixie Fire trauma and mental health crisis; wildfire smoke health monitoring
Hospital: Plumas District Hospital (Quincy) – (530) 283-2121; Seneca Healthcare District (Chester) – (530) 258-2151; both very small critical access hospitals
Notes: Two very small critical access hospitals serve the county; Dixie Fire mental health crisis (community trauma from losing Greenville) is an ongoing public health priority; wildfire smoke exposure health monitoring; medical emergencies often require helicopter evacuation; Chico hospitals for specialty care; post-fire toxic exposure health monitoring
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Quincy
Population: 18,000
Area: 2,613 sq mi
Established: 1854
Tier: 4
Public Records
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