Printer-friendly version
By Alexander J. Schorr
Photos courtesy of CalFire
Image: Side-by-side demonstration shows how unprepared structure surrounded by bark on left was rapidly engulfed in flames, unlike structure on right, with hardscaping
May 7, 2025 (Spring Valley) -- On May 6, The Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety partnered for a live burn demonstration at the County Fire Training Center on Campo Rd. in Spring Valley.
The event showcased a live fire presentation demonstration showing the effectiveness of mitigating wildfire damage for a prepared home compared to a home built from typical materials. Attendees observed burns in real time as experts highlighted ignition materials used, fire movement, and effective mitigation techniques.
This showed how small, proactive steps can significantly influence a home’s survival during a wildfire. Central to the demonstration was Zone 0—a five-foot perimeter around the home kept clear of flammable materials to prevent ignition from wind-driven embers.
“The science is clear. Creating a noncombustible buffer around your house is the most effective defense we have so when embers land in that space, there’s nothing to ignite,” says IBHS CEO Roy Wright. “We’re not asking people to choose between safety and curb appeal—there are smart, attractive ways to have both.”
The devastating wildfires in January serve as a stark reminder that wildfires are not confined to a season; they are in fact a year-round threat,” warned State Fire Marshal Chief 
Daniel Berlant. “This live demonstration shows that homes lacking wildfire mitigation are highly susceptible during a wildfire. Fight to be the house still standing after a wildfire occurs, maintain defensible space and harden your home.”
He emphasized that safety begins with “being prepared,” and that “all of us, neighbors, local groups, and state agencies, working side by side to reduce risk and save lives.”
In addition to Berlant and Wright, Cal Fire guests included Fire Chief Joe Tylerand San Diego Unit Chief Tony Mecham. IBS President Roy Wright attended alongside the “Live Burn Narrators,” which included Senior Director for Wildlife Steve Hawks and Chief Engineer Dr. Anne Cope. This included California Department of Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Program Manager Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan from the National Fire Protection Association.
The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety’s Wildfire Prepared Home program offers homeowners a clear path to protect their homes from embers, starting with key upgrades such as Class A roofing, ember-resistant vents and gutters and defensible space. For added protection from flames and radiant heat, the program also offers the Wildfire Prepared Home Plus designation.
The presentation is one in a series of the Wildfire Preparedness Week events and was followed by a community resilience event in El Cajon in the afternoon at 120 North Park Drive.
According to CBS San Diego, the multi-agency wildfire preparedness exercises is “a 3-day event with over 700 fire-fighters and about 100 law enforcement, and the idea is to get fire crews from different agencies together ahead of [the] peak season to practice coordination.” They make trip rotations every year from North County, South County, and East County. The wildfire trainers are continuing to educate the fire responders on how to perform water jobs and the best avenue of direction for helicopters to fly over a scorched area. Fire officials tend to choose areas that are prone to catch fire and they also look for a location that's far away from the community for safety reasons.
In a proclamation, Governor Newsom declared May 4-10 as Wildfire Preparedness Week. “We have dramatically increased work to prevent wildfires, with more than 2,200 fuels reduction projects complete or underway on state land,” the Governor said.”In recent years, California has treated nearly 2 million acres. This work is vital to slowing and reducing the intensity of wildfires and provides areas from which personnel can safely and aggressively suppress fires.” The proclamation highlights the urgency of wildfire suppression in light of the destructive January Los Angeles Fires.
For tools, tips, and resources on how to prepare your home and property against wildfire threats, visit readyforwildfire.org.
T
o learn more about the Wildfire Prepared Home program and how to participate, visit wildfireprepared.org.
Image, left: Don't stack firewood next to your home, which can ignite and quickly spread flames to your residence.
You can learn more about the tactics of fire mitigation at the Fire Safe Council of San Diego website. On social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, Cal Fire made it known that “our responsibility extends beyond responding to active wildfires. A crucial aspect of our mission is preventing the spread of wildfires within California's State Area (SRA).” The response team emphasized that the firefighting crews focus on essential fuel reduction and vegetation management projects. “These efforts involved strategically removing hazardous vegetation to reduce fire intensity and improve containment efforts should a fire impact our communities.” Additionally, public awareness and cooperation in sustaining defensible spaces around properties play a role in wildfire reduction.
People are encouraged to create a defensible space, being the first five feet around your home. It is ideal to harden structures against flying embers with ignition resistant building materials. Additionally, it is important that people create an escape plan and preparedness in the eventuality of suffocating smoke, flammable materials on one’s person, and the possibility of a blackout. It is encouraged to stay alert with fire updates in your local area and to pack a “go-bag” in the event of an evacuation.
East County Magazine gratefully acknowleges grants from the San Diego Regional Fire Safe Council and San Diego River Conservancy for our wildfire-related coverage.
Stay safe! Sign up to receive our free East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts via email. You can also follow EastCountyAlert on Twitter. Please share with friends, family and coworkers.
Recent comments