6B Newsletter August 2020
‘You don’t want to open the door and get out in a panic at the very last minute as a fire is approaching because you’re not going to be able to outrun a fire.’
- Daniel Berlant, CalFire
Dear neighbors: It’s payoff time.
If you’ve prepared for wildfire season by limbing up trees, clearing flammable materials away from your home, outbuildings and propane tanks, removing leaves and pine needles from your roof, signing up for CodeRed, getting your Go Bag together, preparing an evacuation plan and familiarizing yourself with our neighborhood evacuation routes - well done! August, September and October are what we’ve been preparing for all year. The heat, the smoke and the ash descending on our neighborhood right now make it all too real.
Here are a few more things you can do now that will help if you need to evacuate:
Keep your gas tanks full. If you are stuck in traffic during an emergency, half-full is not full enough.
Keep spare car keys in a place that everyone in your household knows about.
Park your cars facing out for a quick getaway.
Keep your cell phones charged.
Keep your Go Bags in easy reach and be sure you have your medications, important documents and some cash.
Identify one person to contact who lives outside of our area who everyone in your household knows to contact if you are not all together in an emergency.
Print this one pager out and keep it handy! It explains such things as how to check daily wind forecasts and, during an ACTUAL EMERGENCY, how to stay updated and informed (radio, websites, text alerts and other methods for real-time information)
Fire Coalition meeting highlights
Because of Covid restrictions, Firewise communities have been unable to have their annual general meetings needed to maintain Firewise certification with the state. The Nevada County Fire Coalition held an All-County Firewise Community Education Event on Aug. 14 that met our certification requirements. More than 200 people attended the Zoom meeting, which was jam-packed with great presentations and information. Here are some highlights:
Red Flag Day – Organize your time, by Matt Wallen, CalFire Battalion Chief. Click here for the video recording Evacuation Safety, by Jim Mathias
, CalFire Division Chief. Click here for the video recording.
Leaving Early: How to make that decision more easily and with less fear, by Susan Rogers, vice chair Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities. Click here for the video recording. Go Bag - Stay Box, by Valarie Bush - Sierra Foothills Village. Click here for the video recording. When you Leave – Notifications & Warnings, by Paul Cummings, Office of Emergency Services. Click here for the video recording.
In other news
Lauren Drutz, (530) 559-5460: Break up thick contiguous lines of trees within 100 feet of your home with at least 15 feet of space between crowns and foliage to create islands, rather than walls of fuel.
Karen Pridemore, (530) 274-8770: Creating fuel breaks on your property can help stop the spread of fire and can also be attractive landscaping features. Consider a gravel pathway or a decorative stone "river" around your home.
Trent Pridemore, (530) 274-8770. Do an electrical checkup of your property, particularly outdoor connections in barns and shops. This is especially important if you plan to connect a generator.
Your Firewise committee is required to submit an aggregate report each year to maintain our Firewise status, so please send Karen Pridemore your 2020 hours and expenses. Our deadline is coming up. We don’t need exact hours or receipts! For a simple worksheet and examples of eligible activities, click here. If you own or plan to purchase a portable generator, it is important to store, maintain and operate them safely to avoid fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, injuries and more.This tip sheet from the National Fire Protection Association explains the basics of generator safety. Defensible Space assistance for residents with disabilities and older adults is now available. For more information, click here. Most wildfires are caused by humans who do not realize how their actions can start a fire. A recent 2+ acre fire caused by a riding lawn mower blade hitting a rock resulted in a CalFire citation. Read the story here. There is one more free Green Waste day scheduled at the McCourtney Transfer Station, Monday, Aug. 24, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
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Be well, be safe!
Your Firewise Committee,
Lauren Drutz, Lynn Forbes, Karen Pridemore, Trent Pridemore, Emily Sweeney, Jim Walters