Mural Project
The community came together on May 11 for an all-day event to paint the mural design they co-created, connect with each other about living in a fire corridor, and plan for the future through the lens of resilience. Alina hosted several smaller sessions in the following weeks for folks who wanted more time engaging with the project.
Calistoga Road Project
In collaboration with Upper Mark West Fire Safe Council, we helped build shaded fuel break along Calistoga Rd from Alpine to Plum Ranch Rd. The project goals were:
- Increase fire safety of evacuating community residents along the community’s primary evacuation route.
- Increase fire safety to fire suppression personnel and apparatus traveling to a wildland fire.
- Reduce the fuel loading along the evacuation route roadsides, thereby allowing the road to be used as an effective fuel break and staging location for fire suppression activities.
- Reduce the fuel loading along the evacuation route roadsides, thereby reducing the likelihood of a wildfire starting from a traveling vehicle’s defective catalytic converter or a discarded lit cigarette.
We were able to accomplish these goals due to the hard work of all of our partners and staff!
WFAP and Habitat for Humanity
Some time ago, we started up our low-income free home assessment program. It was not long before we realized something; this program just did not do enough for the residents most in need of fire safety help in our county. We would do the assessments and then what? People did not have the time or financial resources to do the essential work that could protect their families, home, and community from wildland fires. People asked us if there would be further assistance provided and we assured folks we were working on it.
Enter the Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County! They too have realized that in this day and age, with wildfires becoming an ever-growing issue and concern, home hardening and defensible space are critical to making sure Sonoma County residents can live comfortably and safely at home. Habitat for Humanity has amazing volunteers that can do this incredible work. We have teamed up our two organizations and programs, and with funding from the County of Sonoma, we are able to provide the full service that many Sonoma County residents are looking for – an assessment followed up with the needed improvements to qualifying households. Not only that, but the Fire Safe Sonoma Listos Tool Trailer will play a key role in this too because Fire Safe Sonoma is making it available for Habitat for Humanity to use. It has brand-new tools and equipment that are ready to be put to work. Thank you Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County!
This program has ended, but for information on similar resources please reach out to us at [email protected] or [email protected].
Spanish Translation Project
Working to provide equal access to fire safety information
With Hispanic and Latino/a/x residents making up 27.3% of the County, the overarching goal of this project is to provide Spanish speakers with equal access to important wildland fire safety information. At FSS we applied for and successfully received funds to expand our community outreach by translating and providing interpretation of our resources into Spanish. We see attaining Hispanic and Latino/a/x representation as critical to strengthening our county’s collective resiliency.
Our hope is that this endeavor will provide Spanish speaking residents with a platform to share their opinions and concerns relating to wildland fire safety.
This project is made possible through grant funds provided by the California Fire Foundation.
Four Emerging Orgs
Creating four local Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) across Sonoma County
Beginning in January 2022, and with funding from the California Fire Safe Council, Fire Safe Sonoma, with the aid of WRA Environmental Consulting, has provided assistance to four emerging local Fire Safe Councils in their development. Through a collaborative process, a core team from each community consisting of community members and public safety agencies from each of the four areas worked to create a local Community Wildfire Protection Plan for each community. The four communities are:
- Gehricke Road
- The Springs
- Glen Ellen, and
- Hollydale/Canyon/Terrace
The four plans will be available on FSS’s website in early 2023 and can be found under the Prepare Your Community tab.
Fire Safe Sonoma has deployed our CWPP development model successfully in several other communities within Sonoma County, including Fitch Mountain, Fort Ross, Bennett Ridge, Mill Creek, Occidental, and Grove Street. The collaborative process, in addition to assessing basic wildland fire risks and identifying mitigation projects, serves to increase public safety awareness, provide fire prevention and safety education, and builds community character.
This project has been made possible with grant funds provided by the California Fire Safe Council and PG&E.
Sonoma County CWPP Update
In November and December, we assisted the County of Sonoma with creating a Cal OES grant application titled Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update & LHMP Annexation. Fire Safe Sonoma is a Stakeholder in this grant with specific obligations.
Sonoma County’s Northwest Roadway Safety, Fuels Reduction, and Community Chipper and Engagement Project
Fire Safe Sonoma teamed up with Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works to create a Northwest Roadway Safety, Fuels Reduction, and Community Chipper and Engagement Project Grant. CAL FIRE, who will be providing $1 million for the $1.2 million project, approved the grant.
This project is created to assess and treat fuel risks and tree mortality within the public right of way, on 30 miles of roads in northwestern Sonoma County, and will be led by the Sonoma County Department of Transportation and Public Works (TPW).
In conjunction, Fire Safe Sonoma, Inc. (FSS) will, lead community engagement, provide educational outreach, conduct wildland fire safety home assessments and provide coordination for the county chipper program within the project area.
Red Flag Warning System
New Red Flag Warning System now in service!
Soon, you will see a red flag marked “High Fire Danger” displayed at your local fire department during red flag warnings. This program is being initiated by the Sonoma County Fire Chiefs Association with the help of Fire Safe Sonoma and PG&E.
Sonoma County – When the North Bay Firestorm of October 2017 burned through Sonoma County, torching more than 200,000 acres and destroying almost 6,000 structures. 44 people were killed as the blazes struck suddenly in the middle of the night and caught many off guard. Many residents were unaware of the red flag warning that had been issued, warning of winds reaching nearly 50 mph, and were unprepared when disaster struck.
Red flag warnings are notifications issued by the United States National Weather Service to inform area firefighters and residents that conditions are ideal for wildland fire combustion and rapid spread. They are typically issued when frequent wind gusts reach over 25mph and/or relative humidity is at or below 15%.
If you see a red flag flying at a nearby fire station, there are a few steps you should in order to be prepared in the event of a fast-moving or unexpected fire.
- Have an emergency bag ready with food, water, important documents and other essentials designed to last 72 hours.
- Clear away dead vegetation within at least 10 ft of your home and out of gutters. Remove flammable materials (i.e. firewood stacks, propane tanks) within 30 ft around your home.
- Do not engage in any outdoor burning, including in fire pits.
- Ensure your home smoke alarms are working
- Decide on an escape plan from your home and find two evacuation routes out of your neighborhood with a designated meeting place.
- Ensure that you are signed up for emergency alerts
“This new system will make it easier for us as fire departments to ensure that communities are aware and alert in the event of a fire like we experienced in October of 2017,” Fire Chief Jason Boaz of Healdsburg Fire Department said, “it will help spread the word and potentially save lives.”
Camp Meeker Fire Safe Council CWPP
We assisted the Goldridge Resource Conservation District with their grant application to CAL FIRE for fire planning on behalf of the newly created Camp Meeker Fire Safe Council. Fire Safe Sonoma is a Stakeholder in this grant with specific obligations.
Sonoma County Fair
Several times each year we participate in Special Events related to our mission. In August of 2018 we partnered with the California Fire Safe Council (CFSC), Farmers Insurance ®, the Mayacamas Fire Safe Council, the Insurance Information Institute, and the Santa Barbara Fire Safe Council and staffed an informational booth at the Sonoma County Fair. Throughout 2019, we have participated in countless Sonoma County Resiliency meetings and presentations.
Community CWPPs: Template and Three Local Projects
This past year we continued our work on a CAL FIRE grant funded project to create a template for local communities to use to create community-scale Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP) and to create CWPPs for the Fitch Mountain, Fort Ross, and Mark West Watershed areas as prototypes. This two and a half year project will end in March 2019.
Ready Set Go
Over the past year, we worked collaboratively with the Sonoma County Fire Chief’s Association to establish a Ready-Set-Go! Program. This is a Nationally recognized program we are adapting to the needs of Sonoma County.
In November, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) provided $50,000 to the organizations to fund printing of Ready Set Go booklets in English and Spanish and to develop wildland safety content messages deliverable through via social media and in-person events.
The Ready, Set, Go! (RSG), program educates residents about proactive measures to take before a wildfire, or other emergency, and actions to follow when communities are threatened. The program’s three tenets encourage Sonoma County residents to get READY by preparing now for what threatens their community, to be SET by maintaining awareness of significant danger and to GO, evacuate immediately when the danger is current and life threatening.
Public Education
In 2018, we delivered more than 30 public presentations to audiences ranging from 20 to 500. The California Fire Science Consortium, the University of California Cooperative Extension, and homeowners groups from across the County have experienced our excellent presentations. Topics typically include how to harden buildings against wildfire ignition, defensible space, and how to organize local fire safe councils. Presentations generally last between one and three hours, and can include “walk around” assessments of homes. If you would like us to make a presentation to your group please feel free to contact us.
