Presentation: A discussion with Genasys Protect and the Department of Emergency Management to learn more about the internal operations and how evacuation zones and resident notifications work in San Mateo County.
Presenter: Lisa Bernard
Presentation: NIST, presents their scientific research on the separation of structures for ignition potential.
Hello Fire Safe Members and Wildfire Resiliency Advocates -
There will be no Fire Safe meeting this Wednesday. We hope you are all enjoying the busy holiday season with friends and family and wishing you all the best in bringing in the new year.
I want to extend a special thank you to all our contractors, foresters, biologists, and hand crews, who have worked so hard in 2023 on our neighborhood chipping events and our various fuels treatment projects.
Happy Holidays,
Denise Enea
FSSMC
Executive Director
Presentation: The N5Shield wildfire and air quality community detection system. This system is different from other wildfire detection or camera systems.
Presenter: Debra Deininger of N5 Sensors.
Chat transcript link. click here
Hello Fire Safe Members and Wildfire Resiliency Advocates -
There will be no Fire Safe meeting this Wednesday. We hope you are all enjoying the busy holiday season with friends and family and wishing you all the best in bringing in the new year.
I want to extend a special thank you to all our contractors, foresters, biologists, and hand crews, who have worked so hard in 2023 on our neighborhood chipping events and our various fuels treatment projects.
Happy Holidays,
Denise Enea
FSSMC
Executive Director
Here you will find all of the episodes for this PODCAST:
Click HERE to listen to the podcast.
Winter Storm Event
Resource Support Information
Download it here : Winter-Storm-Resource-Support-Flyer.pdf
Presentation: California Deptartment of Insurance Presented by: Mary Beth Bykowsky, Outreach Analyst - Community Relations & Outreach Branch And by: Lisa Strange, Northern California Outreach Manager
Cal Fire CZU update on the #EdgewoodFire as of 5:30 PM today Tuesday Jun-21-2022
https://twitter.com/calfireczu/status/1539407728715583488?s=21&t=E8v4PdwTbdhdvTm7SvcEWA
Edgewood Fire Summary Update - FIRE SAFE SAN MATE COUNTY
Edgewood_Fire_Summary_Update_-_FIRE_SAFE_SAN_MATE_COUNTY.pdf
Ducument availble to download at the link below.
Illegal_Firework_Starts_Grass_Fire_in_San_Mateo_Co.PDF
An analysis by The New York Times of satellite images, combined with on-the-ground surveys, provides a more complete picture of the origin, spread and devastation of the fire that killed at least 23 people in and around the city.
The Tubbs fire destroyed at least 5,200 homes and structures, shown on the map below, making it the most destructive wildfire in state history, as well as one of the deadliest. The Times analysis also shows how quickly the fire spread in the crucial initial hours.
Read a Press Democrat story about how the fire spread here and a look at the 911 calls received as the fire spread here. See all of the Press Democrat's fire coverage here.
The fire was pushed downhill at unusually high speeds by winds that sometimes exceeded 50 miles per hour. Burning embers were blown ahead of the main front, leaping ahead and igniting new fires.
In about three hours, the fire reached Santa Rosa, causing a chaotic scramble among authorities and unprepared residents.
One resident said that by the time the first emergency alert came, the flames were already marching toward his house, leaving just minutes to escape. As their city became engulfed in flames, many residents frantically fled their homes. But some people were unable to escape, and in many cases, their remains have been recovered inside or near their homes.
Sources: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; Sonoma County Vegetation and Habitat Mapping Program (building footprints); U.S. Geological Survey (fire perimeter); Broadcastify; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere; Mark Finney, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, U.S. Forest Service; Neil Lareau, Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, San Jose State University; Scott Stephens, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, U.C. Berkeley; Daniel Swain, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, U.C.L.A.
By New York Times Staff Writers: Derek Watkins, Troy Griggs, Jasmine C. Lee, Haeyoun Park, Anjali Singhvi, Tim Wallace and Joe Ward.
Derek Watkins reported from Santa Rosa. Troy Griggs, Jasmine C. Lee, Haeyoun Park, Anjali Singhvi, Tim Wallace and Joe Ward reported from New York. Reporting was contributed by Susan C. Beachy and Richard Pérez-Peña from New York, Adam Nagourney from Los Angeles, and Carol Pogash from Santa Rosa.
Camp Fire –Fire Progression Timeline
San Mateo County, FireSafeCouncil
We are very lucky to have NIST’s, Alexander Maranghides present a report on the Camp Fire’s progression and time line of the fire and how the structures within the community of Paradise faired.
Video and Audio by computer: click this link https://zoom.us/j/8119100623
Video by computer, and Audio by phone: use the link above, then call phone number
669-900-9128 and enter Meeting ID: 811 910 0623
Audio by phone only: call phone number 669-900-9128 and enter Meeting ID: 811 910
0623
Agenda: 2021-11-10FIRE SAFE SAN MATEO COUNTY AGENDA-ONLINE-1.pdf
Presentation Announcement: Camp Fire _ Fire Progression Timeline Presentation Announcement_FSSMC.pdf
Presentation: Camp Fire Progression Timeline Chapter 7A 20210802-pdf.pdf
Presentations:
Passcode for video: t44=Fz6=
Chat Transcript ( many useful links shared by the Fire Safe Community ) tfire safe Oct 13.md.txt
Beginning July 1, 2021, AB38 requires a seller of real property located in a high or very high fire hazard severity zone to provide specified documentation to the buyer that the real property is in compliance with the wildfire protection measures described above or a local vegetation management ordinance, or enter into an agreement with the buyer pursuant to which the buyer will obtain documentation of compliance, as provided.
To request an inspection for properties in the SRA (State Responsibility Area managed by CAL FIRE), use the following link: https://www.fire.ca.gov/dspace
For properties in the LRA (Local Responsibility Area), work with your Realator or contact your local fire agency for more information.
Please use the link below to access the video recording. When prompted, used the passcode: Tu61&LMX
https://zoom.us/rec/share/Pg0-Fr1jY0oUN-EbPpSzK4QErfsu7feVj9fGP54QdxWa-3m6HrrBVRn1aC_Kjls.1U3WAMPPHbSJL4v6
At the June 9 Fire Safe San Mateo County meeting Danny Franco of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy presented a stakeholder update on the county vegetation map and landscape databse project. This project has already proven valuable to many stakeholders and partners to inform vegetation management. This information has also been used for grant proposal applications. In the near future post-fire digital imagery and data will be collected to capture information about the CZU Lightning Complex fires and inform recovery.
Click here to view the full presentation
Click here to view the technical report pubished January 2021 which discusses Fuel Model Maps and Fire Behavior Maps.
Please see below a letter from the Fire Safe President, Denise Enea.
At April's Fire Safe Council Meeting, there were two presentations, which were recorded and are available for download below.
Paul Hessburg, Ph.D., Research Ecologist, USDA-FS
Our wildfire problem; How we got here and What we can do about it
Sheena Sidhu, Ph.D., Erica Harris, and David Cowman, Forest Health and Fire Resiliency Program, San Mateo Resource Conservantion District (RCD)
Collaborative Forest Health and Fire Resiliency for San Mateo County
There will be an informational meeting for the Prescribed Burn Project planned for San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) land. The meeting will be Wednesday, March 24, 7pm-8pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85223632957?pwd=bGdKTDM2K3dkKzV2Y1hZS0J2MGFOZz09
Webinar: 645149 Passcode: 645149
Or Telephone: 669-900-6833
Presenters:
Sarah Collamer, Forester I CAL FIRE
Richard Sampson, Forester II CAL FIRE
Jonathan Cox, Deputy Chief San Mateo
Jonathan Perrin, Peninsula Area Land Manager, SFPUC
SJSU Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center is hosting a Fire Weather Workshop, April 8-9, 2021
This year, the workship will have an extended speaker list of colleagues and partners from across the world to provide an international perspective on current fire weather reesarch. Sessions include: fuels and fire danager, remote sensing of fire environment, fire weather indices and case studies, coupled fire-atmosphere modeling advances, and smoke modeling and impacts. For more information vist the webiste (click here). Register here
Presentation: Changes in fire risk for climate change in San Mateo County.
Isabel Pares Ramos, San Mateo Office of Sustainability and LeRoy Westerling, UC Merced
Thanks to sponsorship from CAL FIRE, PGE, and local fire agencies, ALERTWildfire has installed several wildfire cameras in strategic locations throughout San Mateo county and the western United States.
ALERTWildfire is a consortium of three universities -- The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), University of California San Diego (UCSD), and the University of Oregon (UO) -- providing access to state-of-the-art Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) fire cameras and associated tools to help firefighters and first responders: (1) discover/locate/confirm fire ignition, (2) quickly scale fire resources up or down appropriately, (3) monitor fire behavior through containment, (4) during firestorms, help evacuations through enhanced situational awareness, and (5) ensure contained fires are monitored appropriately through their demise.
To view wildfire cameras and get more information on ALERTWildfire, follow the link below:
Celia Hare of the Center for Employment Training (based in San Jose, CA) presented at the March Fire Safe Council meeting. She shared information about the 2020 August Wildfire Temporary Jobs Assistance Program which is currently serving San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. This program is focused on public or non-profit land post-fire clean up by their crews.
At this time, the program is both identifying potential job sites and recruiting people for the program.
If you are interested in leanring more, please reach out to Celia Hare: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (408) 534-5339
The Central Coast Prescribed Burn Council (CCPBA) is hosting Prescribed Firelighter and Wildland Firefighter Training.
The workshop will be held in three locations:
These are all day events 9:00am - 5:00pm
Register here: Prescribed Firelighter and Basic Wildland Firefighter Training (ucanr.edu)
California's Wildfire and Forest and Resilience Action Plan was released January 2021 by the Forest Management Task Force. It is a call to action for California's growing forest and wildfire crisis. It is designed to strategically accelerate efforts to:
Link here: https://fmtf.fire.ca.gov/media/cjwfpckz/californiawildfireandforestresilienceactionplan.pdf
Matteo Garbelotto will be giving a talk called "Living with Fire" on December 12, 2020 at 10am.
Dr. Garbelotto has previously spoken on Sudden Oak Death at a previous Fire Safe San Mateo County meeting. He is inviting anyone interested to register and attend.
Register here: https://berkeley.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEocuuurTorGdeDT62OM4oiFEXla-tZrSQA
Website with more information: http://www.ucbfire.org
The Amah Mutsun Land Trust is hosting their first ever fire symposium online on November 19, from 3:00 - 4:30 PM.
The event will bring together tribal leaders, fire researchers, archaeologists, and others for a discussion on coastal Central California's fire history, prescribed burning, and Indigenous fire stewardship. Event details and registration information can be found here:
https://www.amahmutsunlandtrust.org/events/2020/11/19/amlt-fire-symposium
Fire Safe San Mateo County would like to share this article with the Fire Safe Council membership from Wildfire today by Jack Cohen and Dave Strohmaier.
Community destruction during extreme wildfires is a home ignition problem
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! SIGN UP HERE!!
Drop off chipping event for Loma Mar and Dearborn Park. Two weekends in November. Drop off your material between 10am-4pm on the following dates at Redwood Glen, 100 Wright Drive, Loma Mar, CA
Curb-side chipping event in the Highlands neighborhood.
Chipping will be available for half of the residents on November 16 and half on November 18. Residents should recieve brochures (linked below) indicating what date their house will be eligible for the chipping service.
The Tahoe RCD is hosting a virtual workshop for building professionals on retrofitting and building homes to withstand wildfire and are hoping you can share the flyer (attached) with building professionals you work with! The workshop isn't specific to any one geography and will apply to all building professionals working in wildfire-prone areas. Please reach out directly to Carlie Murphy, the Fire Adapted Communities Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.), if you have any questions.
Drop off chipping event for Loma Mar and Dearborn Park. Two weekends in November. Drop off your material between 10am-4pm on the following dates at Redwoo Glen, 100 Wright Drive, Loma Mar, CA
Drop off chipping event for La Honda. Three weekends in November. Drop off your material between 10am-4pm on the following dates at Cuesta La Honda.
Curb-side chipping event for select streets in Montara and Moss Beach
Wildfire Resilience: Best Practices in Real Estate and Land Use by Global ULI Online. October 30, 2020. LINK HERE:
https://americas.uli.org/events/detail/163A8649-80C3-47C7-8549-ED18318357D1/ /
This event has a general focus on a nation-wide audience about how the real estate industry is responding to increasing wildfire risks and impacts with building design, land use policy, and community resilience solutions.
The Virtual Wildland Urban Interface (#VirtualWUI) conference is being hosted by the International Association of Fire Chiefs on November 4-5, 2020. LINK HERE: https://www.eventscribe.com/2020/WUI/index.asp
We encourage you to review the schedule to identify interesting presentations. Several sessions are concurrent, so if you attend one, it would be great if you could report back a summary to the council at our next Fire Safe San Mateo County (FSSMC) meeting. (please note, times follow the Eastern Time Zone). Register Here.
Message from Good Fire Alliance:
Fire Forward has scheduled two additional Basic Wildland Firefighter (and Firelighter) Training field days – one for March 6 and one for March 7. If you’d like to attend, please sign up at either of the registration links below, share with folks who may be interested, and make sure you get an early start on the online prerequisite work required for the field day (about 35-40 hours of online training material hosted by NWCG and FEMA). We hope to see you there!
March 6, 2021:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/123957250473
March 7, 2021:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/123957962603
A limited number of fee waivers are available on an as needed basis; email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Fire Forward Director) for more information.
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation and Repopulation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates: https://tinyurl.com/CZULightning
Information LIne: 831-335-6717
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation and Repopulation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Link to press conference (in English): https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1MnxndgNbBEGO
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation and Repopulation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Link to press conference (in English):https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1BRJjYLVjLpGw
On August 29, 2020 Battalion Chief Mark Brunton did a live social media Q&A. Listen to him answer questions about preventing the fire from spreding to Santa Clara County, and long-term things you can do, which includes ensuring you have defensible space around your home, especially in the WUI (wildland urban interface), and getting involved with your local Fire Safe Council to help identify fuel reduction projects in your community!
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation and Repopulation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Link to press conference (in English): https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1BRKjYLanXRxw
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation and Repopulation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Returning home after wildfires resource: https://firesafesanmateo.org/news/entry/be-safe-when-returning-from-home-after-a-wildfire-cal-fire-readyforwildfire-org-post-wildfire-resources
Important safety measures to take when returning home after a wildfire, from CAL FIRE Ready for Wildfire.org. Visit website for more information and return home checklist.
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation and Repopulation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Video update (press confernce) in English: https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1dRJZZbjnwMJB
A message from Fire Safe Council president, Denise Enea, on Day 11 of CZU LIghtning Complex Fire indident. (Clickable links available below the letter)
DONATIONS
Puente which supports south coast families: https://mypuente.org
Coastside Hope supports SMC coastside residents: https://coastsidehope.org
ALAS (Ayudando Latinos A Soñar), supporting families, farmworkers, and youth of thecoastside: https://www.alashmb.org
ANIMALS ARE IN NEED TOO
Woodside Community Foundation Large animal & Livestock assistance resulting from the fire. For more information call Rick DeBenedetti, (650) 303-2661. Online donations
accepted: Woodsidegiving.org
Peninusla Human Society accepting donations of pet food, cat litter, newspapers at their Coyote Point Shelter. 12 Airport Blvd, San Mateo as well as financial donations https://phs-spca.org
San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group is also requesting help to feed displaced animals. (note: not tax deductable). https://smclaeg.org
DONATE TO LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS
Loma Mar Fire Department https://lomamarfire.org/donate
8879 Pescadero Creek Road , Loma Mar California United States 94021
Kings Mountain Fire Brigade http://www.kingsmountainonline.com/kmvfb
13889 Skyline Blvd. Woodside, CA 94062
La Honda Fire Brigade https://www.lahondafire.org/donate
8945 La Honda Rd, La Honda, CA 94020
VIDEOS
Fire Video https://www.dropbox.com/s/75lkl3trs9oboab/Butano%20Ridge%20Fire%208-18-20.m4v?dl=0
Lightning Storm https://www.dropbox.com/s/pzw8u3iibh9ps96/Lightening%20Over%20Portola%20Valley%208-16-20.m4v?dl=0
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation and Repopulation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Video update (press confernce) in English: https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1DXGyAOjQRgGM
Battalion Chief Mark Brunton
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Video update (press confernce) in English: https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1dRKZZnNnqAKB
Fire damage inspection data for this map is provided by CALFIRE CZU Lightning Complex Fire Damage Inspections (DINS) database that captures the location, attributes, and damages status of structures within and immediately outside of the CZU Lightning Complex fire perimeter. The damage inspection data should be considred prelininary. Assessments are ongoing and subject to change as more ccrews are able to safely access new areas and as additionla information is gathered, anlayzed, and verified.
Repopulation has started for northern part of the CZU evacuation zone area outside of the fire perimeter. See map to view green zones: smco.community.zonehaven.com
Orders have been lifted for the following communities:
CAL FIRE and partnering agencies are presently evaluating zones within the burn perimenter for safety, which includes roadways, water, and electricity. Evacuation orders will be lifted for additional zones in the coming days to weeks as zones continue to be evaluated and secured.
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here):
Video update (press confernce) in English: https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1rmxPYqeOZYKN
Pictures from earlier this week of feed being delivered to evacuated horses and cows at the Mounted Patrol grounds in Woodside. Donation was generated by the Woodside Community Foundation Giving Fund.
Feed being delivered by pick up truck and unloaded by two volunteers
Feed in front of two evacuated cows at Mounted Patrol grounds
Two horses at Mounted Patrol grounds
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here):https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Video update (press confernce) in English: https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1DXxyAOXreRxM
Perimeter map as of August 26, 2020
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map:www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here):https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Video update (press conference) in English: https://www.pscp.tv/CALFIRECZU/1mrxmEmejQZxy
Video update en Español: https://youtu.be/QJMbSQ19HWg
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Video update in English: https://youtu.be/n3SJhoxRIhc
CAL FIRE public information perimeter map - August 24, 2020
high resolution map, click here.
Link to incidence map (note: may take time to load): https://wildfirerecovery.caloes.ca.gov/current-incidents/
The current status of California fires since August 15, 2020 (information curent as of August 25, 2020). source: CZU Lightning Complex press conference Aug 25.
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Video of update, in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu2EaUdPnmI
Video update, en Español: https://youtu.be/KffU8aPrtuo
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
To support our fellow community members, consider donating to:
Puente, which supports south coast families: https://mypuente.org
Coastside Hope, supports San Mateo County coastside residents: https://coastsidehope.org
ALAS (Ayudando Latinos A Soñar), supporting families, farmworkers, and youth of the coastside: https://www.alashmb.org
**note: goods are NOT being accepted at evacuation centers. Financial contributions are the highest need
Animals are in need too:
Woodside Community Foundation is focused on rasing funds for large animal rescue resulting from these fire. For more information call Rick DeBenedetti, (650) 303-2661. Online donations accepted here: Woodsidegiving.org
Peninusla Human Society is accepting donations of pet food, cat litter, newspapers at their Coyote Point Shelter. 12 Airport Blvd, San Mateo. and financial donation here: https://phs-spca.org
San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group is also requesting help to feed displaced animals. (note: not tax deductable). https://smclaeg.org/
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Residents impacted by the CZU Lightning Complex fires are redirected to nearby locations for mail pic up
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Available maps and data to help assess air quality resulting from fires
Actual image of smoke: NASA satellite image
Air quality (based on frequently updated measures of particulate matter): purpleair.com
Air quality from US EPA (includes a mix of high and low-cost sensor which measure particulate matter): Fire and Smoke Map
Spare the Air info and Air Quality Index maps through Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD)
Air Quality Forecasts (table format) through BAAQMD and sign up for AirAlerts
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Air Quality Forecast Guidance (map format- change menu option to "surface smoke")
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Evacuation website from CAL FIRE: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/go-evacuation-guide/evacuation-steps/
CAL FIRE evacuation guide: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/wp-content/uploads/calfire_go_brochure_LINOweb.pdf
When immediate evacuation is necessary, follow these steps as soon as possible to get ready to GO!
Leave as soon as evacuation is recommended by fire officials to avoid being caught in fire, smoke or road congestion. Don’t wait to be ordered by authorities to leave. Evacuating the forest fire area early also helps firefighters keep roads clear of congestion, and lets them move more freely to do their job. In an intense wildfire, they will not have time to knock on every door. If you are advised to leave, don’t hesitate!
Do not return to your home until fire officials determine it is safe. Notification that it is safe to return home will be given as soon as possible considering safety and accessibility.
To support our fellow community members, consider donating to:
Puente, which supports south coast families: https://mypuente.org
Red Cross: RedCross Bay Area Chapter
Please also consider donating to local food banks.
Animals are in need too:
Peninusla Human Society is accepting donations of pet food, cat litter, newspapers at their Coyote Point Shelter. 12 Airport Blvd, San Mateo. and financial donation here.
The San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group is also requesting help to feed displaced animals. see below for message from SMCLAEG:
Please call Pastorino's Hay and Feed at 650 726-6155 and/or Western Saddlery at 925 460-0373 and let them know you'd like to have them charge a $$ amount to your credit card...from there the Evac group can get hay and essentials to these displaced animals. Please let them know you are calling on behalf of the San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group. SMCLAEG is not a 5013C so this is not tax deductible at this time but right now they just need to feed these animals.
Please see message below fromm CAL FIRE Incident Commander about donations to CAL FIRE
Cow Palace has become a large animal evacuation center in response to the CZU Lightning Complex fire.
Please call: 650-420-4121
You may also call the San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group for Assistance: https://smclaeg.org
Laura: 650-450-0520
Robin: 650-450-0516
Emilie: 650-773-8780
The San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group is also requesting help to feed displaced animals. see below for message from SMCLAEG:
Please call Pastorino's Hay and Feed at 650 726-6155 and/or Western Saddlery at 925 460-0373 and let them know you'd like to have them charge a $$ amount to your credit card...from there the Evac group can get hay and essentials to these displaced animals. Please let them know you are calling on behalf of the San Mateo County Large Animal Evacuation Group. SMCLAEG is not a 5013C so this is not tax deductible at this time but right now they just need to feed these animals.
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Link to map AND evacuation zone here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f0121f7f2f0941afb3ed70529b2cee75
Below, Incident Map as of August 21
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
A Message from Fire Safe San Mateo County president Denise Enea in reponse to CZU Lightning Complex Fires.
Evacuation program- Zonehaven https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/f0121f7f2f0941afb3ed70529b2cee75
Please sign up to receive digital Cal Fire messages https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
San Mateo County’s emergency notification system https://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert
Santa Cruz County’s emergency notification system http://scr911.org/
Fire Area Map https://maps.nwcg.gov/sa/#/%3F/%3F/37.6144/-122.136/10
Fire Video https://www.dropbox.com/s/75lkl3trs9oboab/Butano%20Ridge%20Fire%208-18-20.m4v?dl=0
CAL FIRE and emergency services are using ZoneHaven for evacuation maps. These are the official maps used by San Mateo County for emergency response.
https://smco.community.zonehaven.com
If you are having difficulties using the map, please see the instructions below.
Put together your emergency supply kit and have it accessible so you can take it with you when you have to evacuate. Learn more: https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-set/emergency-supply-kit/
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
For the most up-to-date evacuation maps and orders, please see: https://smco.community.zonehaven.com
Please note: Evacuation Order means leave IMMEDIATELY, and Evaucation Warning mean prepare to leave if ordered.
To receive email updates, sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
To receive text alerts, sign up with SMC Alert System: https://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
For the most up-to-date evacuation maps and orders, please see: https://smco.community.zonehaven.com
Please note: Evacuation Order mean leave IMMEDIATELY, and Evaucation Warning mean prepare to leave if ordered.
To receive email updates, sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
To receive text alerts, sign up with SMC Alert System: https://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert
Please see letter below from Denise Enea, president of Fire Safe San Mateo County
Sign up for Cal Fire email messages here: https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
Sign up for SMC text alerts here: https://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert
For the most up-to-date evacuation maps and orders, please see: https://smco.community.zonehaven.com
To receive email updates, sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
To receive text alerts, sign up with SMC Alert System: https://hsd.smcsheriff.com/smcalert
Incident Website: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/
Evacuation Map: www.smco.community.zonehaven.com
Email Updates (sign up here): https://tinyurl.com/CZUlightning
August 17, 2020
To receive email updates directly from CAL FIRE, click here.
PG&E has provided information about their Community Wildfire Safety Program, which includes information for residents.
Please follow the link here: Community Wildfire Safety Program.
Earlier this year, Stanford's Bill Lane Center for the American West had planned an in-person Workshop on Wildfire Management. It was reformated into a virtual workshop that includes a recorded keynote presentation "What Motivates Homeowners to Mitigate Fire Risk? Lessons from Social Science" and two recorded pannel discussions, "Wildfire Management and Preparation during the COVID-19 Pandemic" and "Preparedness adn Recovery: The Human Dimensions of Wildfires". In addition, there are student poster presentations of original wildfire-related research available for viewing.
Please follow the link to access this resource: Wildfire in the West: Workshop on Wildfire Management (virtual format)
At the March Fire Safe meeting, Dr. Matteo Garbelotto of UC Berkeley presented the lates information about SOD (Sudden Oak Death) and its relationship to fire ecology (please see meeting notes from March 2020 for a recap). Dr. Garbelotto also invited anyone interested to participate in the annual SOD Blitz which is run by his research program at UC Berkeley.
In light of the recent COVID-19 shelter-in-place order, Dr. Garbelotto provided us an update that the SOD Blitzes for 20202 will still be running, using new and approved guidelines.
Copied below is his message with more details:
March 31st, 2020
Concerned Californians, nature-lovers and environmentalists,
You are receiving this email because in the past you have attended one of the many programs offered by the U.C. Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory (www.matteolab.org<http://www.matteolab.org>). I know many of you have participated in at least one annual SOD Blitz. SOD Blitzes have grown to become the gold standard in the field of Citizen Science programs aimed at protecting forest health, and you –the volunteers- are the main reason for this success. SOD Blitzes allow us to map the distribution of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) throughout the State each year. Mapping SOD in 2020 may be critical for various reasons: 1)- Areas with recent SOD mortality are much more prone to support extremely hot wildfires; 2)- SOD infected oaks fail, often when still green, with obvious consequences for property and people; 3)- Knowing where SOD is, allows local residents to choose to protect their oaks using science-proven disease management options; 4)- Two new strains of the diseases are looming at the edge of California forests and the SOD Blitzes are the only way to intercept them before they spread. These new strains could be a game changer in the negative sense of the expression.
In spite of the ongoing health scare and of the statewide “Shelter in Place” ordinance, we have been able to redesign the 2020 SOD Blitzes to make them 100% safe and legal, an effective activity that allows you to exercise, and –of course- a powerful Citizen Science program that will help all of us protecting our forests. The program has received full approval by U.C. Berkeley and it will go on as long as we all follow the simple guidelines posted at www.sodblitz.org<http://www.sodblitz.org>. All of the training and free registration will be done online, you will pick up fully sterile collection and survey materials at a local SOD Blitz Station, conveniently located near a parking lot, and you will return your samples at the same SOD Blitz station or by mail, depending on where you are. All the precise information is available at www.sodblitz.org<http://www.sodblitz.org>. Remember, by participating in your local SOD Blitz, you will get a chance to exercise in nature while helping protecting our forests through a 100% safe activity.
Social distancing and clean “housekeeping” rules are strongly enforced, so when picking up or returning materials and stay at least 6 feet away from other volunteers. You will be allowed to survey and sample trees in private properties with the owners’ consent, along roads (be mindful of approaching vehicles), and in parks that may still be open to the public. Again, respect social distancing rules in the field as well. Do participate, because Sudden Oak Death is not stopping and we need to be proactive about it in order to succeed in our efforts to preserve our beloved oaks for future generations. In 2019 alone, more than one million trees were killed by SOD. Go to www.sodblitz.org<http://www.sodblitz.org> to familiarize yourselves with the easy-to-follow new SOD Blitz guidelines, and to find out the time slot that has been assigned to your neighborhood to perform the survey. This is an activity you can do with the entire family or with one friend: do not miss out the opportunity to be part of the solution.
Matteo Garbelotto Ph.D.
Director U.C. Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory Statewide U.C. Forest Pathology Extension Specialist Adj.Professor, Department of ESPM www.matteolab.org<http://www.matteolab.org>
Mipeninsula Regional Open Space District wiil be having a virtual public meeting about their Wildland Fire Resiliency Program. This is an opportunity to learn more and provide actions.
Information from Midpen:
Now is a great time to comment on the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's Wildland Fire Resiliency Program.This proposed program will proactively expand our environmentally sensitive vegetation management to establish healthy, resilient ecosystems; reduce fire risk; and facilitate fire suppression.
Please join Midpen's board of directors for a study session:
Wednesday, April 8, 2020, 5-7 p.m.
Virtual meeting, click here for details<https://openspace.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cf60d90ac20de1d557d559b1e&id=a02e2e2fa4&e=fa82987005>
No board action will be taken
This is an opportunity to learn more about and comment on program components including:
Due to shelter-at-home orders this will be a virtual meeting. Details and instructions on how to comment and participate<https://openspace.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cf60d90ac20de1d557d559b1e&id=4bf75f5b33&e=fa82987005> can be found on our website.
For more information contact project manager Coty Sifuentes-Winter at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 650-625-6560.
Check out a few upcoming events of interest to FIRE SAFE San Mateo County members! These events are not affiliated with FIRE SAFE San Mateo County, but are wonderful opportunity for members to learn and network throughout the region.
Protecting Your City from Wildfire
Crowne Plaza San Diego
Wednesday, March 11 - Thursday, March 12, 2020
This meeting has been organized to provide city administrations with best practices and expert advice on developing community wildfire protection plans, engaging and educating residents, and hardening existing systems to increase resilience. It is now more important than ever for cities and communities to coordinate with police, water, fire, public health, electric utility, and other local, state, and federal agencies.
Attend this meeting to learn best practices in order to respond to the risk of wildfires. Cities will learn how to work aggressively and proactively on plans to mitigate avoidable risk, coordinate with many public agencies, and make strategic investments to render your city able to provide essential services and protect the life and property of your citizens.Conference Website.
Workshop on Wildfire Management: The Case of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties
Stanford University
Monday, March 16, 2020
Stanford University invites local policymakers and resiliency staff to join for a one-day workshop on issues surrounding wildfires, building upon early efforts in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties to identify risk and vulnerability and pivot to actionable solutions that can be implemented by cities. RSVP by Feb 21.
RESOURCE: Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW)
https://planningforwildfire.org/
Established in 2015 by Headwaters Economics and Wildfire Planning International, Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW) works with communities to reduce wildfire risks through improved land use planning.
CPAW is a grant-funded program providing communities with professional assistance to integrate wildfire mitigation into the development planning process. The CPAW consulting team consists of foresters, land use planners, economists, and wildfire risk modelers who collaborate closely with community leaders and city officials to reduce wildfire risk.
Project Coodinator Position for Fuel Reduction Project
The South Skyline FireSafe Council (SSFSC) is seeking a Project Coordinator to facilitate and provide leadership for California Conservation Corps crews (CCC) on a fuel reduction project in the Long Ridge Open Space Preserve and adjacent Portola Heights community. Work is entirely on privately owned residential properties as well as land owned or managed by the Mid-Peninsula Open Space District (MROSD). The Coordinator will coordinate with the CCC crew supervisor, South Skyline FireSafe Council, CalFire, and MROSD staff as well as residents of the community to ensure compliance with SSFSC treatment specifications, to prioritize work, and to address special conditions that arise. This is a temporary position, although future SSFSC projects are anticipated that may lead to future work. Applicants will need a business license or may be “on loan” from another agency
Full Job Description Found Here: South Skyline Project Coordinator Job Posting
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Debra Born at 650-917-9648 or email at debbborn [@] gmail.com.
Created to address fire risk on private property, Firewise USA is a national program that empowers homeowners to engage in fire prevention at a community level. This recognition program through National Fire Protection Association provides homeowners with an organized framework to plan, organize and implement fire prevention around their homes and communities. Homeowners can learn about wildfire, gain access to resources, and collaborate with neighbors to provide their community with a framework for action. There are even some opportunities for fire insurance discounts. In participating, communities join over 1,500 other Firewise USA sites in 42 states who volunteer yearly to decrease their risk of fire.
Firewise USA representative, David Shew, presented to the September 11th, 2019 Fire Safe San Mateo County meeting on general information about the program for San Mateo County residents. If you missed the September meeting, you can still view the powerpoint presentation below.
To have your community recognized as a Firewise USA site or to learn more, visit NFPA.org.
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Dr. Craig Clements from the Fire Weather Research Laboratory at San Jose State University gave a presentation on fire weather and fire science at the July 10th meeting. The Fire Weather Research Laboratory is the only academic fire weather program in the United States. Dr. Clements conducts research on extreme fire behavior and fire weather and his program collects observational data on wildfires and experimental fires. The program develops ways to understand weather created by fires and how other weather patterns can be used to predict where and when fires will occur. He also discussed other data gathering and monitoring his program carries out, including live fuel moisture monitoring and fire weather research field sites.
We were delighted to have our guests from Sonoma County come down for our Fire Safe San Mateo County workshop Wednesday, June 12th, 2019. In anticipation for a collaborative, multi-agency County-wide vegetation mapping project "San Mateo County Vegetation Map and Landscape Database Project", guests spoke upon the current progress of the mapping project within San Mateo County and applicative uses for the maps, focusing on fuel load and fire modeling from Sonoma County's mapping project. We've summarized our guest's presentations below.
The ultimate goals of the San Mateo vegetation mapping project are large and ongoing. So far, the project has been able to produce high resolution imagery and LiDar data, a method of remote sensing that creates a 3-D representation of the landscape. From these original data sets, and with the help from an army of botanists, the project aims to produce fine scale vegetation type maps, fire fuels mapping, relative forest stand cover, impervious surfaces layer mapping, hydrologic system mapping and topographic modeling and contours. With enough funding, more maps can created from the original data. Altogether, the applicative uses of the data produced will be limited to the imagination. Ultimate completion of the project is slated for January 2022. The final maps (available in GIS format) will be available at San Mateo County's GIS webportal.
In Sonoma County, a similar mapping project was completed in 2017. The final product is provided not only as downloadable packages, but also through a user friendly mapping webportaland "Story Map". These easy to use maps bring the wealth of information this project brings to the greater public, including local government, State government, academia, communities, Resource Conservation Districts, non-profits and commercial entities. This data has been used for a myriad of reasons, spanning wetland conservation, agricultural protection, old-growth redwood research, carbon sequestration research, floodplain and creek restoration and planning along with so much more. Check out their website at sonomavegmap.org.
Following the 2017 Sonoma Complex fires which started October 8th, 2017, Sonoma suffered devastating impacts from the combined destruction from the Pocket, Tubbs and Nuns Fire. In the aftermath, there were many questions as to why the fires spread the way they did and with such destructive force. Fires are not new to Sonoma County, there have been multiple historical fires, predominantly in 1924 and 1963, that match similar footprints to both the Nuns and Tubbs Fire. However, there's no question that these fires are beyond the extent of any historical fire. To answer the question, "why?", a collaborative effort was created through Ag and Open Space Sonoma County with Kass Green & Associates with Tuckman Geospatial. Their hypothesis was the changes in the landscape, such as slope, vegetation, wind and ladder fuels, were responsible for heightened intensity and spread of the fires. With funding assistance through NASA, the research team investigated the relationship between damage to the landscape (woody canopy) and variations across the landscape. Using machine learning, the research team looked at 72 landscape variables, including ladder fuels, canopy height, wind direction and speed, and distance to streams.
Out of the six scenarios (each of the three fires being divided by wind driven events and topography driven events) their machine learning algorithm found high density of ladder fuels, low canopy height (shrubs), low climatic water deficit (precipitation and overall moisture), and far distance from streams all correlated to high damage to the landscape. A large takeaway from these results is the importance of ladder fuels in intensifying wildfires. Ladder fuels are the accumulation of woody vegetation (fuel) underneath a forest or shrub canopy. From these ladder fuels, fire can "climb" from lower growing woody vegetation up into the canopy, causing a high-temperature crown fire. The fire prevention community has known ladder fuels increase the risk and intensity of wildfires for a long time. This study not only verifies this case, but also provides something greater—a means of mapping the ladder fuels through Sonoma County. With this map, Sonoma County is able to find and manage for ladder fuels, focusing on escape routes, homes and buildings.
For San Mateo County, we still have a few years to wait before we can create similar resources. Starting in Summer 2019, the data will be coming out piecemeal, like LiDar, 1-ft contours, and ladder fuels, but the final package is slated for 2022. Once fully produced, these maps will provide critical information to fire prevention agencies, such as Fire Safe San Mateo County, in planning escape routes, creating targeted fuel reduction projects around fire prone communities and so much more.
Special thank you to Danny Franco (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy), Deborah Hirst (Board of Supervisors for District 3), Supervisor Don Horsley, Denise Enea (Woodside Fire Protection District and Fire Safe San Mateo County Board President) and the good folks at Woodside Town hall for all your work in creating this workshop.
For more information on the San Mateo vegetation mapping project, please contact Daniel Franco at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Power point presentation from the day's presentations are available here:
Wednesday, June 12, 2019 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM (PDT)
Woodside Town Hall | 2955 Woodside Road | Woodside, CA 94062
The San Mateo Fire Safe Council invites you to join us June 12th, 2019 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm for a series of presentations by staff and consultants with Sonoma County Agriculture & Open Space, who will be sharing data and analysis performed on the Sonoma County Complex Fires of 2017. Key discussion topics include:
Join us for a networking lunch from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm (immediately following the workshop) provided by District 3 Supervisor Don Horsley.
SPACE WILL BE LIMITED!
For questions please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Bay Area Prescribed Fire Council is hosting their first Spring Meeting and Tour Thursday May 2nd and Friday May 3rd in Morgan Hill/ Henry Coe State Park.
This will be a conveinging of prescribed fire practitioners throughout the Bay Area. Come learn from their experiences and share your own.
Sign up at:
Bay Area Prescribed Fire EventBrite Page
Thursday speakers include:
-Cultural burning on Amah Mutsun land
-Air Quality with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
-Ecological reasons to burn with Audubon Canyon Ranch and Sonoma Ecology Center
-Legislative update
-Deciding where the BARxFC is headed (Policy/ Research, training and communications)
Friday will be a tour of nearby Henry Coe State Park, their prescribed burning, and wildfire history with park employees and Cal Fire.
Bay Area Prescribed Fire EventBrite Page
Questions or comments to:
Jared Childress | Prescribed Fire Specialist | Fire Forward
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | Office: 707.938.4554, ext. 309 | Mobile: 510.499.1496
Bouverie Preserve, P. O. Box 1195, Glen Ellen, CA 95442
Hosted by Climate Ready San Mateo County, the Preparing for Wildfire Convening on March 13, 2019 brought together over 100 community members to talk about the future of fire in San Mateo County. The event brought insighful speakers to relay lessons larned from Sonoma County, recent data on fire and current efforts in San Mateo County. Speakers were followed by a collaborative moment around community preparedness and fire risk for attendees. A big thanks to FIRE SAFE San Mateo County members who joined this event.
Check out Climate Ready SMC's website for more information and highlights from the event.
Check out a few upcoming events of interest to FIRE SAFE San Mateo County members! These events are not affiliated with FIRE SAFE San Mateo County, but are wonderful opportunity for members to learn and network throughout the region.
Fire Weather Research Workshop
San Jose State University
April 26, 2019
This is the first annual fire weather research workshop aimed at providing new information to fire agencies, students, students , and other stake holders to the current state-of-knowledge of fire weather research in California. Read about more information on their website or sign up for the event on google forms.
CPUC Wildfire Technology Innovation Summit
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
The Summit is designed to initiate an ongoing dialogue between the technology industry, academic researchers, utilities and government on the needs and tools to address wildfire challenges. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts, practitioners and entrepreneurs and to discuss innovative technologies, strategies and practical tools.
For more details see http://firetechsummit.cpuc.ca.gov
Wildland Urban Conference
March 26-28, 2019
The IAFC's Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) conference offers hands-on training and interactive sessions designed to address the challenges of wildland fire. If you're one of the many people responsible for protecting local forests or educating landowners and your community about the importance of land management—then this is the conference for you.
Learn more at https://www.iafc.org/events/wui
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