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LAST CHANCE! RSVP for the FIRE SAFE San Mateo Barbecue This Wednesday, August 13!

FIRE SAFE San Mateo County supporters, please mark your calendars for our annual barbecue meeting August 13, 2014 at 10:15 am at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, providing us a chance to network and celebrate the accomplishments of the past year. See our agenda here... We'll have a short presentation by Tami Haste of Sonoma Technology, inc (STI) on the development and current state of the federal Interagency Fuels Treatment Decision Support System (IFT-DSS) for the US Joint FIre Science Program (www.firescience.gov), and discussion about the potential funding of remote fire sensing cameras in San Mateo County through a grant from PG&E.

Please feel free to invite your supervisors and chiefs. We ask that all attendees RSVP so we know how much food to buy. Please RSVP online, and be sure to note the number and names attending in your group!

You'll find directions to Jasper Ridge, below. Do not rely on Google maps - they won't work. Unless you are delivering something, PLEASE use the visitor parking lot, not the staff parking lot because we can't hold all of you and then you become a fire hazard by restricting access to the hydrant.

Please RSVP online by April 12

Directions:

If travelling from the north or the south, exit I-280 at Sand Hill Road west. Follow Sand Hill Road about 2 miles west of I-280.

  • Along the way, you will pass an equestrian facility on your right as you approach the Whiskey Hill intersection at the bottom of a hill.

  • The gate is another 1 mile or so. The main gate (an electric gate) will be on your left. While on Sand Hill Road, should you reach Portola Road or Family Farm Road, you’ve passed the gate and will need to turn around.

  • If the gate is closed (it will be open from 10-11), at the entrance there is a phone. If you dial 005 (you will reach Philippe Cohen on his cell), and you be can let in remotely.

  • Follow the signs to the visitor parking lot for the Leslie Sun Field Station.

  • The trail on the left side of the parking lot takes you directly to the picnic area. The trail on the right takes to the building first and then you have to go through the building.

pdfDirections to Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve

Virtual Wildfire Workshops

Join wildland fire stakeholders throughout the nation and attend a series of interactive virtual workshops featuring subject matter experts.

This format provides a rare opportunity to learn from leading researchers and practitioners. Participants can attend the live session directly from their kitchen table or home office, or download the recorded version – the choice is yours! Brew some coffee and invite your neighbors to join you in learning how to reduce the wildfire risk in your community!

Each workshop is posted right here following the virtual event for viewing by those unable to attend the live interactive session(s).

Summer 2014 Workshops:

Firewise Virtual Workshop - Mulch Virtual Workshop July Poster
Mulch Combustibility – Choosing the Right Type for Your Wildland/Urban Interface Home: Tuesday, August 19, 2014, 4pm (EDT)  Understanding How Embers Ignite Roofs in a Wildland Fire and How to Make Your Roof More Survivable
Register Here Watch on Demand

Dr. Stephen Quarles is the featured presenter and “Ask an Expert” for both the July and August sessions/topics.  Steve is a senior scientist with the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety where he assists with research on building performance with regard to wildfire and moisture exposures. Prior to joining IBHS, Steve was with the University of California where he addressed durability and in-service performance issues of wood-frame buildings, particularly those subjected to wildfires.

The one-hour interactive agenda includes a presentation from Dr. Quarles along with a live “Ask an Expert” segment where pre-selected homeowners have an opportunity to ask a question related to the session’s topic.  This unique learning format provides wildland/urban interface homeowners with information on how to implement important mitigation modifications at their homes.  Participation is limited to 100 “live attendees” so please register ASAP – we anticipate sessions will fill quickly.

San Mateo County Live Fuel Moisture Reach Critical Levels

July live fuel moisture for the CAL Fire CZU (San Mateo Santa Cruz) Unit is posted at http://www.wfas.net/index.php/national-fuel-moisture-database-moisture-drought-103  and summarized below:

Location Current (%)7/22 Previous (%)6/18 Change
Hwy 35 & 92 - coyote brush 139 152 -13
Pulgas - coyote brush 107 132 -25
Saratoga Summit - chamise 66 95 -29
new growth 71 108 -37
old growth 62 83 -21
Corralitos - manzanita 73 /a /a
new growth 74 130 -56
old growth 71 /a /a

Live fuel moisture levels continue to drop sharply and are at record lows for July at all of the sampling sites.  Coyote brush in San Mateo County has dropped to levels normally reached in about one month from now.  Manzanita and chamise in Santa Cruz County are already below the lowest levels reached in an “average” year – lower than average early fall conditions. 

Manzanita at Corralitos has reached the “critical” level and Chamise at Saratoga Summit just above “critical.”  For Manzanita, the critical threshold is considered 80%; for Chamise 60%.  There is no established critical threshold for coyote brush.  Critical live fuel moisture is defined as “the moisture content at which sustained, fast spreading, high intensity wildfires can occur.” 

Learn more about Live Fuel Moisture and its importance in determining potential wildland fire behavior and relative fire danger...

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