Special Edition
Wildfire Preparedness in West County
|
|
This edition:
- Wildfire Preparedness in West County
- "How to Become a Fire Safe Council" Workshop on June 1
- Camp Meeker partners with RCD on Community Wildfire Protection Plan
|
|
Wildfire Preparedness in West County
|
|
Here in Sonoma County, we’ve all been made well-aware of the dangers of wildfire. We know the damage wildfire can do to our communities. We also know that to live in California is to live with wildfire. It is a fact of life, and, someday, ready or not, it will visit us again.
So, how can we be more prepared? Individually and collectively, we need to be more aware of our vulnerabilities. And, we need to work together to make some changes.
What are our vulnerabilities? In West County, neighborhoods face numerous challenges to achieving wildfire safety. Many homes lack the
essential structural hardening
that they need to survive a wildfire; they need proper
defensible space
, and they are located in areas where challenging terrain and narrow, heavily vegetated roads make it difficult for firefighters to get in and evacuating residents get out. Many neighborhoods have never contacted their local fire department, done
an assessment of their wildfire risks
with the help of their local fire agency, or prepared
an evacuation plan
or
emergency kit.
All of this makes our communities very vulnerable to wildfire.
How can we work together to make a change?
- Connect with your neighbors to express your desire to address your neighborhood’s wildfire safety. Organize a group of residents who are interested in working more on wildfire preparedness.
- Let your local fire department know you are interested in preparing for wildfire, and ask them what recommendations they have for your neighborhood. Local Fire Departments include:
- Sebastopol Fire Department
- Gold Ridge Fire Department
- Graton Fire Department
- Occidental Fire Department
- Monte Rio Fire Department
- Bodega Fire Department
- Bodega Bay Fire Department
- Contact our county fire safe council, Fire Safe Sonoma, to see what actions they recommend for your area, learn to create a Fire Safe Council for your community, and ask if they can visit your neighborhood to present on any preparedness topics.
- Learn more about Preparedness – See this guidance from Fire Safe Marin.
- Learn more about low-cost project ideas to implement in the near term.
- Get familiar with our Sonoma County Community Wildfire Prevention Plan (CWPP)
|
|
Partner News:
"How to Start a Local Fire Safe Council"
Workshop on June 1
|
|
Our county's fire safe council, Fire Safe Sonoma, will be hosting a workshop this weekend on how to start a local fire safe council.
|
|
What: "How to Start a Local Fire Safe Council" Workshop
When: Saturday, June 1, 1:00pm
Where: Healdsburg Community Center, 1557 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, CA
|
|
Sonoma County residents are highly motivated to mobilize our communities for wildfire safety, yet no single person or fire agency alone can protect a community.
Fire Safe Councils are grassroots, community-led organizations that mobilize residents to protect homes, communities and environments from wildfire. A local Fire Safe Council works with neighbors to find ways to empower residents to make the community safer.
Fire Safe Sonoma is the County-wide Fire Safe Council. Our Mission is to promote wildfire fire safety through education, information exchange, resource sharing and community cooperation.
Helping form new local fire safe councils and providing a platform for existing fire safe councils to exchange ideas, share resources, and collaborate to better achieve their missions is one of our most important goals.
In conjunction with existing Sonoma County Fire Safe Councils (FSCs), we will cover:
- Do we have to be a Fire Safe Council? Hint: No! An existing group can act as a FSC
- Do we have to have non-profit status?
- How do we get grants?
- How big an area should a FSC Cover?
- What is the difference between a FSC and a FireWise Community?
- What resources exist to help us get going?
- Who do we need to involve in our FSC?
- What is a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and how do we get one?
Format for the meeting will be a combination of presentations, and collaborative round table discussion that will allow existing councils to share their successes and challenges.
Please register so we have sufficient materials for all!
|
|
Camp Meeker partners with RCD on Community Wildfire Protection Plan
|
|
It was mid-October 2018--just around the time of the first anniversary of the Tubbs Fire--when Richard Seaman surveyed his Camp Meeker community's interest in "restoring the forest and making Camp Meeker fire-safe"
through a petition
. From a community of 348 households, his petition received about 250 supporting signatures. Through his outreach campaign, Richard met allies who would quickly become the first members of
Fire Safe Camp Meeker,
a community group focused on educating, planning and implementing activities in Camp Meeker that will make the forested hill-side neighborhood more resilient to future wildfires.
Fire Safe Camp Meeker members reached out to local agencies, including Gold Ridge RCD and Fire Safe Sonoma, for funding and technical assistance. In November, the three organizations partnered with the North Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council on a funding proposal to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as CAL FIRE, for the creation of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and received funding in May.
The Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a collaborative effort that requires input from all stakeholders, including Camp Meeker residents, local businesses, retreat camps and the relevant fire and natural resources agencies. Together, we will hold community meetings to gather information about Camp Meeker's vulnerabilities to wildfire and then prioritize projects that have earned the greatest stakeholder interest.
Projects might include: home-hardening activities, forest and roadside vegetation management, defensible space creation, improving first-responder access and evacuation routes, developing an community evacuation plan, improving road and address signage throughout the community, and more.
When it comes time to put the plan into action, projects will be implemented by volunteer community members and hopefully with additional funding from agencies like CAL FIRE. Donations are also a significant help to these projects.
Consider making a donation today
.
|
|
|
|
Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District
(707) 823-5244
www.GoldRidgeRCD.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
