Turn Wildfire Awareness into Wildfire Readiness

Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. has declared May 1-7, 2011 "Wildfire Awareness Week". CAL FIRE is urging homeowners to be ready for wildfires. Wildfire Awareness Week is designed to not only remind Californians of the dangers wildfires pose, but also to educate them on how to prepare their property. In fact, CAL FIRE fought a 15 acre and 5 acre vegetation fire over this past weekend. This shows that the fire danger has already increased to where the field grasses are ready and able to burn.

The CAL FIRE San Bernardino Unit is bringing all of our fire stations up to High Fire Hazard staffing. Seasonal firefighters reported to work on Monday, May 2, 2011. They will go through refresher training this week to ready their skills for the approaching fire prone months. While it is important for the firefighters to hone their skills to be ready to fight fire, it is also important for the public to not only be wildfire aware, but to be wildfire prepared.

This year's theme for Wildfire Awareness Week is once again the nationwide fire preparedness campaign of "Ready, Set, Go!". Being ready for a wildfire starts by maintaining 100 feet of Defensible Space and hardening homes with fire resistant building materials. "This week is a great time for residents to start getting themselves ready for wildfire," said Chief Ken Pimlott. "It's the combination of both Defensible Space and the hardening of homes that give a home the best chance of surviving a wildfire." Annually, many homes face the potential of destruction by fire because they failed to be ready for wildfire.

California has experienced above average rainfall. The increased precipitation has left many areas abundantly green and overgrown. However, as warmer temperatures and drier conditions occur, the grass and brush begins drying out and the fire danger increases dramatically. "This year's fire season has not started as early as it has in years past" Said Chief Pimlott, CAL FIRE acting director. "That's why residents should take the time now, while the grass is still green, to make sure they are ready for California's wildfires."

Last summer, CAL FIRE launched a new website, http://www.readyforwildfire.org/ to assist homeowners in preparing for wildfires. The site offers steps residents should take to make their home more resistant to wildfires and to ensure that their family is ready to evacuate early and safely when a wildfire strikes. For more information visit http://www.fire.ca.gov/