![]() Hot, windy, and dry conditions fueled by California's reoccurring droughts have created a tinder box that people can easily set ablaze. ![]() Campfires accounted for just five percent, the study found. Everything from items with small sparks like cigarette butts to more ostentatious flames like fireworks have started large fires.Ī study published in 2017 in the journal PNAS found that, at the national level, debris burning is responsible for 29 percent of wildfires and arson causes 21 percent of fires. Illegal campfires can start blazes, like one that began in 2009 and grew to destroy more than 2,700 acres. Last year, one of the largest wildfires tearing through southern California was caused by a downed power line. His predictions have proven true year over year as fires have grown deadlier, larger, and more numerous. Geological Survey told National Geographic in 2014. “The probability of fires is increasing because people are increasing,” Jon Keeley from the U.S. Last month, a man from Temecula, California, was arrested for starting what eventually grew into the large Cranston Fire. Though not always intentional or criminal, humans are the most common cause of wildfires in the United States.Įarlier this week, a man named Forrest Clark was arrested in connection to the Holy Fire, the name given to a group of several different wildfires that have blazed through forests in southern California. These tools work together to build more fire-resilient communities.Ĭalifornians can learn about all aspects of wildfire safety and preparedness, including how to obtain local alerts, checklists for preparedness, evacuation planning, and more at large fire tearing through Holy Jim Canyon in California that has charred more than 6,200 acres so far has a familiar origin. Thousands of communities depend on smart planning and prevention tools such as protective fuel breaks, defensible space around homes, and home hardening for their safety and survival. This is especially important since approximately 25 percent of the state’s responsibility area is in a high or very high-severity fire zone. ![]() Now is the time to ensure adequate defensible space around homes and buildings, make homes more fire-resistant, and have an emergency preparedness/escape plan. Californians have an important role in preventing wildfires as well as preparing for the upcoming wildfire season. Through grants to regionally based partners and collaborators, CAL FIRE seeks to significantly increase fuel management, including reducing hazardous fuels, conserving and restoring forests, and treating degraded areas.įirefighting alone cannot protect us. With these new investments, the Newsom Administration has committed more than $2.8 billion to the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan. On September 6, 2022, Governor Newsom signed AB-179, the Budget Act of 2022, which provides more than $1.3 billion over the next two years to accelerate forest health and wildfire resilience projects throughout the state. It is vital that California’s residents take the necessary steps to prepare themselves in the case of wildfire.” CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler This past winter’s historic rainfall resulted in enormous growth of fuel that will likely result in fast moving grass fires throughout the state. Joe Tyler, Cal Fire, Chief “As we continue to deal with the impacts of climate change, we want to encourage Californians to be prepared for this fire year. The focus of these events is to raise awareness and encourage families and communities to take a hands-on approach to wildfire preparedness, including how state, federal, and local public safety organizations are preparing for the 2023 fire year, the importance of fuel reduction and vegetation management projects, and ways the public can prepare for wildfire now through home hardening and defensible space.ĬAL FIRE will be joined by the California Natural Resources Agency, United States Forest Service, California Office of Emergency Services, California National Guard, California Conservation Corps, and other local, state, and federal fire and emergency officials to speak about wildfire preparedness and fuel reduction projects. By preparing well in advance of a wildfire and taking steps now to reduce wildfire risks, you can dramatically increase your safety, the safety of your community, and the survivability of your home. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and our partner agencies will host five statewide events throughout the week to raise awareness of what individuals and communities can do to help protect against the threat of wildfires. SACRAMENTO–Wildfire Preparedness Week is May 1 – 7, 2023.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |