HomeMy WebLinkAboutSLOFD Ready-Set-GoChief 'sMessage.........................................1READY!!DefensibleSpace....................................2-4VegetationManagement...........................5HardenedHome........................................6WildireReadyHome...............................7-8SET!WildfireActionPlan..............................9-10Pre-EvacuationPreparationSteps..........11GO!TakeActionImmediately.........................12SurvivalTipsIfYouBecomeTrapped.....13SafetyChecklist.......................................14RememberTheSixP's.............................15ReturningHomeAfterAWildfire.............16
Wildfiresarenowayear-roundrealityinSanLuisObispoCounty.“Fireseason”isabitofamisnomerandreallybestdefinesaperiodoftimewhenweatherconditionsmakefiredangermoreextreme.Thismeansthatbothfirefightersandresidentshavetobepreparedagainstthethreatfrombrushfiresatalltimes.Firefighterstrainhardandmakecountlesspreparationstobereadyforawildfire.Residentsneedtodothesame.Successfullypreparingforawildfirerequiresyoutotakepersonalresponsibilityforprotectingyourself,yourfamilyandyourproperty.TheSanLuisObispoCityFireDepartmenttakeseveryprecautiontohelpprotectyouandyourpropertyfromawildfire.Butduetothespeedandcomplexityofwildlandfires,therealityinvirtuallyeverycommunityinCaliforniaistherewillsimplynotbeenoughfireenginesorfirefighterstodefendeveryhomeduringamajorwildfire.Thisisespeciallytrueduringthefirsthoursofamajorwildfire,soyoumustbecomepartofthesolution.Wewanttopartnerwithyoutomaximizeoureffectiveness.Ifyourhomebordersanaturalarea,youaredirectlyatriskfromawildfire.Firefightersrefertothisnaturalareaasthe“WildlandUrbanInterface,”andnaturalareabordersinSLOcanbelocationsadjacenttoOpenSpace,creekbeds,orotherareaoflushvegetation.Ifyoulivewithinonemileofanaturalarea,youliveintheEmberZone.HomesintheEmberZoneareatriskfromwind-drivenembersfromawildfire.Recentfireshaveresultedinentireneighborhoodsbeingdestroyedbyfiresstartedbyembers,notthewildfireitself.Thispublicationwillhelpguideyouthroughtheprocessofmakingyourhomeresistanttowildfires,andyourfamilyreadytoleaveearlyandsafely.Wecallthisprocess,“Ready,Set,Go!”YouwilllearnabouttheEmberZoneandhowtoretrofityourhomewithfeaturesthatprotectitfromembers.We'llshowyoutheimportanceofhavingdefensiblespacearoundyourhomeandthepreparationsyouneedtomakesoyoucanleaveearly,evacuatingbeforethefirereachesyou.Fireis,andalwayshasbeen,anaturalpartofthebeautifulareawherewe'vechosentolive.Wildfires,fueledbyabuild-upofdryvegetationanddrivenbyhot,drywinds,areextremelydangerousandalmostimpossibletocontrol.Manyresidentshavebuilttheirhomesandlandscapedwithoutfullyunderstandingtheimpactafirecouldhaveonthem.Thispublicationwillhelpyouprepareyourhomesoyoucanleaveearly,confidentthatyou'vedoneeverythingyoucanreasonablydotoprotectyourhome.It'snotaquestionofif,butwhen,thenextwildfirewilloccur.That'swhythemostimportantpersonprotectingyourlifeandpropertyisnotafirefighter,butyou.Withadvanceplanningandpreparation,youcandramaticallyincreaseyoursafetyandthesurvivabilityofyourproperty.Ihopeyou'llfindtheinformationonthenextpageshelpfulasyouprepareyourhomeandfamilyforawildfire.Remember:Ready,Set,Go!
KeithAggson
SanLuisObispoCityFireChief 1
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Def b e Spa Zone 1 + Zone 2 + Zone 3 30 FT + 70 FT + 100 FT = 200 Feet 3
Removealldeadordyingvegetation.Trimtreecanopiesregularlytokeeptheirbranchesaminimumof15feetfromstructuresandothertrees,and10feetfromchimneys.Removeleaflitter(dryleaves/pineneedles)fromyard,roofandraingutters.RelocatewoodpilesorothercombustiblematerialsintoZoneTwo.Removecombustiblematerialandvegetationfromaroundandunderdecks.Removeorprunevegetationnearwindows.Remove“ladderfuels”(low-levelvegetationthatallowsthefiretospreadfromthegroundtothetreecanopy).Createaseparationbetweenlow-levelvegetationandtreebranches.Thiscanbedonebyreducingtheheightoflow-levelvegetation
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Createverticalandhorizontalspacingbetweentreesandshrubs(thedistancebetweentreesshouldbe3xtheheight.Removefallenleaves,needles,twigs,bark,cones,andsmallbranches.Irrigationisrecommendedtomaintainvegetationmoisturecontent.Cutormowannualgrassdowntoamaximumheightof4inches.Extends30ftoutfromthestructure ExtendsfromtheouteredgeofZone1to100ftfromthestructureExtendsfromtheouteredgeofZone2to200ftfromthestructure 4
ManagementPracticesFourR'sofManagement 5
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Nowthatyouhavedoneeverythingyoucantoprotectyourhome,it'stimetoprepareyourfamily.YourWildfireActionPlanmustbepreparedwithallmembersofyourhouseholdwellinadvanceofawildfire.Eachfamily'splanwillbedifferent,dependingontheirsituation.Onceyoufinishyourplan,practiceitregularlywithyourfamily,andpostitinasafeandaccessibleplaceforquickimplementation.As e b Yo r Eme n Sup y Kit
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DuringHighFireDangerdaysinyourarea,monitoryourlocalmediaforinformationonbrushfiresandbereadytoimplementyourplan.Hot,dryandwindyconditionscreatetheperfectenvironmentforawildfire.Formoreinformation
SLOCity.org/Fire
Twitter:@SLOCityFire
(805)781-7380
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Whenanevacuationisanticipatedandiftimepermits,followthecheckliststogiveyourhomethebestchangeofsurvivingawildfire.AN S O T EIN
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TipstoImproveFamilyandPropertySurvivalDuringaWildfire
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