Be wildfire aware and ready

As we’ve already seen this year, fire season is in full swing. Fire safety and preparedness is a year-round endeavor, but this time of year it’s especially important for all of us to be aware of how to keep ourselves and our communities safe. Across farms and ranches, parks and preserves, and urban landscapes, everyone has a role to play and we’ve rounded up some practical tips to help everyone be fire safe:

• Do not use mowers or other equipment that could spark a fire unless it’s below 80 degrees and 30% humidity―ideally in the very early morning, when there’s fog or at least a marine influence presence, and overnight humidity recovery hasn’t worn off.
• Pro tip: Check your local forecast before you mow!

While keeping an eye on the weather before using equipment that could spark a fire is best to do every day, there are times where it’s particularly critical – during Red Flag Warnings. Red Flag Warnings are issued by the National Weather Service, when there is a combination of warm temperature, low humidity, and strong winds expected. These factors combined increase the risk of fire danger and potential for ignited fires to spread rapidly. Some restrictions to keep in mind during Red Flag Warnings include:

• Never mow or trim dry grass because a power tool could spark on a rock and start a grass fire.
• No wood or charcoal camp fires in forests during periods of high fire danger.
• Do not pull your vehicle over in dry grass or vegetation as it can spark a grass fire. If necessary, pull over on paved roads.
• Pro tip: Check out SoCoEmergency to learn more about Red Flag Warnings.

If you run agricultural operations, there are extra tips from UC Cooperative Extension that will help ensure you’re prepared and ready in case of a fire:

• Create and update an emergency plan – Be sure all employees know what the plan is and how they can contribute.
• Apply for the Livestock/Ag Pass Program –  This provides you a form of verification to access your properties and tend to your crops and livestock during disaster evacuations when conditions are safe to return.
• Pro tip: Check out UCCE’s full preparedness checklist.

And for year-round efforts to prepare your home and community, everyone should be thinking about how to:

• Harden your home – To keep your home safe from wildfires, focus on three things: stopping flames from touching your home, protecting it from heat, and blocking flying embers. Learn more on hardening your home.
• Create defensible space – Create defensible space around your home as a vital barrier against wildfires. This area, free from flammable materials and vegetation, significantly lowers the risk of fire reaching your property. Learn more on creating defensible space.
• Pro tip: Dive deeper into ways to make your home more resilient.

All of us play a role in making our communities more resilient! Ag + Open Space supports our conservation easement landowners across the spectrum of land management and care, and you can explore our full suite of landowner resources here.