wildfire safety

HEAR OUR INTERVIEW WITH CAL FIRE CAPTAIN MIKE CORNETTE

Don't get burned! Safety tips to prepare for wildfires

By Miriam Raftery

Hear full interview

September 30, 2024 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fire Captain and Public Information Officer Mike Cornette, in an interview aired on the East County Magazine Radio Show on KNSJ, offered an outlook on peak wildfire season, information on new Zone Zero defensible space requirements around homes, as well as tips to prepare for wildfires and keep your household safe.

On the fall outlook for wildfires,  he notes that fire season is now year-round. “We’ve seen large fires anywhere from January to December in every different part of the state, every different part of the county.” Now that peak fire season approaches, there is heavy grass from last winter’s heavy rains, “so we’re still expecting potential for large wildland fires through December.”

Recent major fires in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and San Bernadino Counties should be a "wakeup call" for residents across California to be prepared for wildfires by creating defensible space around homes and being ready to evacuated if needed.

Captain Cornette urges people to maintain defensible space from 0 to 100 feet around your home—thinning fuels in the morning, with high humidity and lower temperatures,  “to make it more survivable.”

Audio: 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

FROM THE FIRE CHIEF'S CORNER: WILDFIRE SAFETY

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna
 
July 2, 2023 (San Diego) - Wildfire season is upon us.  Before a wildfire threatens your area, here are some ways you can help prevent wildfires in your home and community.

Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

WATCH NOW: EAST COUNTY NEWSMAKERS, SHAKERS AND NEWSMAKERS FIRST VIRTUAL PROGRAM ON COVID-19 AND WILDFIRE SAFETY ISSUES

 

August 10, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – On Friday, August 7, East County Magazine took our “Newsmakers, Shakers and Newsmakers” community forum/webinar series virtual.  Thanks to the #FacebookJournalismProject for supporting our community news reporting and virtual events in the COVID-19 era.

Thanks to all of you who sent in questions via email and social media for Dr. William Tseng, one of San Diego’s top COVID-19 experts, who shared the latest facts on COVID-19 trends and what the medical community has learned since the pandemic beganWhy does San Diego have a lower death rate than the nation?  What are the facts and myths about this disease?  How accurate are tests?  How can you help save lives if you’ve survived COVID-19?  What will it take to end the pandemic and return life to normal in our region?  Listen in to hear Dr. Tseng's fascinating responses.

Robyn Herrick, community resiliency advisor with SDG&E, discussed their upcoming drive-through Wildfire Safety Fairs coming up in Alpine, Pine Valley and Valley Center. Get details here

Hear what you need to know to stay safe this fire season – and how you get free devices to help you stay in communication even while you’re evacuated.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

SDG&E ANNOUNCES FIRE SAFE 3.0 INNOVATIONS TO ADVANCE WILDFIRE SAFETY

New initiatives include creating a fire science and innovation lab and leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance forecasting 

Source: SDG&E

October 21, 2019 (San Diego) -- To adapt to the effects of our changing climate and threat of year-round wildfires, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) is partnering with academia, government and public safety professionals to innovate and implement more advanced technologies designed to further improve wildfire safety in the region. Initial innovations include maximizing artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve situational awareness, a new Vegetation Risk Index and satellite enabled wildfire alerts.     


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

FREE ONE-DAY, IN-DEPTH WILDFIRE SAFETY WORKSHOP OFFERED IN POTRERO

 

Learn what firefighters know about protecting homes and communities from wildfire

East County News Service

August 29, 2018 (Potrero) - The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County is taking fire safety training to local communities that are at high-risk for wildfires. Some of the most vulnerable areas are those in the Wildland Urban Interface, or WUI, which is defined as residential areas that abut to open space. The next workshop, called Fire Operations in the Wildland Urban Interface, will be in Potrero on Saturday, September 8, 2018.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

FROM THE CHIEF'S CORNER: WHAT TO DO WHEN A WILDLAND FIRE THREATENS

 

 

May 3, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – We are currently under severe fire conditions.  Homeowners are advised to do the following if there are reports of wildland fires:

Listen to local radio or TV stations for updated emergency information. Follow instructions of local officials regarding the safest escape route. (It may be different than you expect; wildland fires can change direction and speed up suddenly.)

• If you have one, turn on your FRS Radio and set it to your neighborhood’s channel and code. Check in, and continue to monitor for new information. Channel ______ Code _______

If you believe the fire is too close to your location, evacuate immediately. (The fire may be moving too fast for officials to issue evacuation notifications.) Choose a route away from the fire and other potential fire hazards.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

FROM THE CHIEF'S CORNER: BEFORE AND DURING A WILDFIRE

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

April 24, 2013 (San Diego) – Homeowners and residents can take a proactive approach to dealing with wild fires by practicing some simple guidelines.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

PALA FIRE DEPARTMENT TO HOST 7TH ANNUAL FIRE PREVENTION FAIR OCTOBER 20

October 18, 2012 (Pala) -- The Pala Fire Department along with the Pala Band of Mission Indians will hold its 7th Annual Fire Prevention Fair on October 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pala Fire Station on Hwy 76 in Pala. This event is free and open to the public.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

CAL-FIRE KICKS OFF WILDFIRE AWARENESS MONTH

 

May 6, 2010 (Sacramento) – Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared May 2-8 Wildfire Awareness Week to remind Californians to be prepared for wildfires and vigilant as the state approaches peak fire season. CAL FIRE will also be using the week to highlight the importance of the homeowner’s role in preparing their property and families ahead of time to survive a wildfire.

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.

BOOK REVIEW: FIRE, CHAPARRAL, AND SURVIVAL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

 

by Richard W. Halsey

 

Second Edition, Revised and Updated
Sunbelt Publications, San Diego. 2008. 232 pages, illustrated, color plates.

 

Reviewed by Walter Hall

 

“The Viejas fire in ’01, the Galivan fire in ’02, and then again during the Cedar fire in ’03. It’s always the same damn thing.” -- A weary incident commander back on the fire line


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.