Northwestern Alameda County Fire Zone Map C.A.R. Consider purchasing a copy for your go-bag and highlighting potential routes in advance. Read more about Zonehaven in past Berkeleyside coverage. The concepts of home hardening and defensible space overlap to cover practices that can reduce wildfire damage to your entire property, the structures and the land. In July, BFD is going digital with its property inspections, resulting in online inspection reports once new software is up and running. In the language of emergency planning, the place people are directed to during an evacuation is called an arrival point. An evacuation zone is a portion of the community that has been sliced out to most effectively call for and manage evacuation, Crocker said. Your plan will: Will you wait to evacuate after fire starts, or will you leave during periods of heightened threat? Terms and conditions for the use of this DrLamb.com web site are found via the LEGAL link on the homepage of this site. Emergency planners are asking residents to immediately do a few things to prepare for Zonehaven: Be ready to receive information, May said. 2001-2023 The Pain Reliever Corporation. Covering all chimneys and vents leading into the home. Applications are reviewed on a quarterly basis with the next deadline being Aug. 13. From a DWA, call 911 (510-642-3333 via cell) for assistance. Chin repeatedly emphasized that hillside residents must not wait until wildfire strikes to take action. At many levels, were responsible for our destiny. Vegetation fires in these areas, including in the Eastshore State Park, can potentially spread into urban and residential areas, depending on the weather, said Berkeley Fire Chief Abe Roman. WebLook up your evacuation zone now and write it down. xb``b``fg``d@@---IXd0-9`s? [}A S' In two weeks, Berkeley and the rest of Alameda County are slated to launch a new evacuation software system called Zonehaven. What should I know about wildfire safety? How do I protect my property against wildfire? In July, BFD is going digital with its property inspections, resulting in online inspection reports once new software is up and Once again, the recommendation is creating or maintaining a defensible space. If you are requesting a AB38 inspection please contact LAFD.AB38Inspection@lacity.org For further assistance, please contact the LAFDs Brush Clearance Unit: lafdbrush@lacity.org or at (800) 994-4444. Do defensible space regulations apply to my property? This is easier for some people to manage financially than others. But data can shed light on how these fires might behave and the damage they might cause. To help visualize defensible space, imagine embers carried through the air by the heat of fire and winds. Khin Chin, BFDs emergency services coordinator, closed out the departments presentation in May by reminding residents about key resources they can use to help them stay safe. Freelancer Catherine "Kate" Rauch has been contributing to Berkeleyside for several years. 0000182011 00000 n Text prepare to 43362 to sign up for the message service. Flying embers and intense radiant heat pose the greatest dangers to buildings during wildfires. What does it mean to harden my home against fire? The same goes for flammable vegetation. Residents of affected zones are alerted using a variety of means, including the county alert system (AC Alert), Nixle local alerts, social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and old-fashioned door-to-door warnings. Californias recent large-scale fires are serving to some extent as laboratories for what works best. Protect yourself and your family. FEMAs dedicated text message number is 43362. However, the California Fire Marshall sets codes for home hardening materials and practices. Some of these efforts are still active today, and excellent resources for tenants. Its been done in ad hoc fashion for 100 years; it works, but its also time-consuming. The city of Berkeley is a little more expansive than the state in designating its hillside fire zones, which cover 8,000 properties. We anticipate our compliance rate will drop.. Thats why weve compared information and vetted sources for you, with the aim of providing only credible and recent information from trusted sources. We broadcast emergency information and instructions by radio on 1610 AM. Extreme Fire Weather is far more rare than Red Flag Warnings. Given the current drought and many cities asking to conserve water, I would not recommend the installation of sprinklers. And it will be updated with helpful information such as evacuation shelters and weather. Removing dead branches that hang over your house. In this video series, youll learn about Berkeleys growing wildfire threat, important fire weather terms to understand, and the steps you should take to be ready. There are four types of WEA alerts: Presidential, sent by the President for national emergencies (note, this has never been done yet); Imminent Threat Alerts, for threatening emergencies such as evacuation orders; Public Safety Alerts, for warnings that may not be imminent, such as extreme weather; and Amber Alerts for abducted children. City Map - 2013. Changes are immediately made available on the community Aware site, Crocker said. Check what your homeowners insurance covers and make sure its enough to help you rebuild if needed, taking into account updated square footage, improvements and current building costs (from a contractor). To save money, get a higher deductible, not less coverage. only wastes water, Temmermand said. It takes power to run Zonehaven, and if this goes out, so does the data crunching. This includes replacing flammable materials with fire-retardant or noncombustible options, protecting against embers and removing fire hazards. Nonprofit news. Installing dual-paned glass windows with one pane of tempered glass to help lower radiant heat and prevent explosions, and using metal window screens instead of plastic or other flammable/meltable material. It refers to a buffer zone of landscaping around a structure to give it the best shot at not catching fire. The recommendations regarding defensible space are based on data showing they can or might help. DAVID GOINES: Remembering an iconic printmaker | CULTURE WAR: Hopkins bike lane | SNOW! Explore city services, report issues online, pay parking tickets, Explore news and events, adopt a pet, visit acity park or pool, Get vaccinatedfor COVID-19,report a crime,access homeless services, Apply for a permit,schedule an inspection, research zoningpolicies, Apply for a business license,get business assistance,find bid & proposal opportunities, Attend a City Councilor commissionmeeting, apply for jobs,look up City holidays. Other improvements, like using fire resistant materials for your roof and siding, can add up to thousands of dollars. Memorize your zone number. wildland fire prevention as a primary goal, hazard reduction and resource management plan, a plan for reducing fuels in parkland atop the Berkeley and Oakland hills, See the park districts map identifying recommended treatment areas near Berkeley, California Coastal Conservancy Wildfire Resilience grant, East Bay Hills Wildland Fire Joint Powers Authority, the Public Policy Institute of California, Memorize your Zonehaven evacuation zone number and bookmark the map, Go to the National Weather Service website, map of emergency shelters on the Red Cross website, map of disaster recovery centers on the FEMA website, Cellular Communications Industry Association, a version of the guide tailored for Oakland residents, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, University of California Cooperative Extension, Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network, Alameda County Office of Emergency Services, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Forms. But that does not mean the community can relax, Pinto said: The state Board of Forestry and Fire Protection is expected to release more stringent zone zero regulations early next year that will focus on making the first 5 feet around the house an ember-resistant zone., Thats a critical area that needs to be maintained to prevent the spread of fire to your home, said Pinto. They emit a unique tone and look like a text message. We cant outsource that 100% to our first responders.. The fear is that fires starting in dry open space will spread quickly over the urban interface into densely populated areas with woodsy yards, homes and other structures. Information overload can be an issue as you plan for emergencies. The information contained on this site is the opinion of G. Blair Lamb MD, FCFP and should not be used as personal medical advice. That fire destroyed 580 homes with an unknown number of deaths. How should I prepare to evacuate my pets? The utility is under intense legal and public pressure to improve the condition and maintenance of its infrastructure, having been charged with several serious fire-related safety violations, including being convicted of starting the deadly 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County which killed 84 people. The pressing need to prepare locally for high fire danger is what has led Councilmember Susan Wengraf, who represents much of the Berkeley Hills, to organize an annual fire safety event for more than a decade. Officials will use the terms below to communicate current risk levels. WebBerkeleys vegetation management program applies to the citys hillside fire zones, which are made up of two zones, called 2 and 3. What should I do? Under local enforcement, yards are usually inspected in the spring, at the start of fire season, with compliance required by early summer. In an emergency, listen for your zone number on the radio (1610 AM in Berkeley), look for it on Twitter and Facebook and use Zonehavens real-time evacuation map to see where to go. If you can save five minutes, you can save lives; if you can save an hour, you can save lives. only wastes water, Temmermand said. How can I reduce the impact of wildfire smoke inside of my home? What if Im unhoused or know people who are in my area? For now, Berkeley sees these conditions for just a few days each year. Keeping a small supply of tools handy to help put out small fires, including a fire extinguisher, shovel and rake. Where has Zonehaven been used to date, and lessons learned? Ask if wildfire prevention requirements are being met. To that end, the city has compiled a number of tools to help. But the board overseeing the district has identified wildland fire prevention as a primary goal. Property owners can face fines and a misdemeanor conviction if they fail to comply after repeated notifications. This year, presentations covered a range of updates from the Berkeley Fire Department, a presentation from the state insurance commissioners office and advice from an architect about what residents can do to reduce fire risks at home. Zonehaven reduces the time to order an evacuation. Evacuations are ordered by zone. Nothing is guaranteed when it comes to stopping fire, but research shows that home hardening steps can make a difference. We know we have big challenges ahead, Berkeley Fire Chief Abe Roman said recently. The National Weather Service also has a fire weather page with professional forecasting maps, weather warnings by state, drought maps and information on WEA-alerts and weather radios. When do I need to wear a mask or stay indoors? Housing Survey: help shape plan to house more Berkeleyans! : Photos + videos | WE'RE HIRING. If your insurance company didnt give you a 75-day notice before cancellation, or if you dont understand why you were dropped, contact the California Department of Insurance at 800-927-HELP. No sign up required. But does this even help and, more importantly, is this water use OK during a drought? And seven of the states 20 most deadly fires have occurred in the past five years. Once decisions are made, using incident information coming in from many sources such as responders on the ground and helicopters overhead, they must be communicated quickly, to everyone coming in to help, fire, law, media, the public, May said. Funding for government and nonprofit wildfire prevention is increasing, including CalFire grants, California Fire Foundation grants, and items in the states annual budget. What should I do? Police and fire can feed the software information during incidents and for practices and drills. To access: Sign up for Nixle alerts online. The image illustrating defensible space in the property section of this guide is adapted from the Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide (publication #SP-20-11) with permission from University of Nevada, Reno Extension and the Living With Fire Program. 0000523208 00000 n The plan is essentially a pool of high-risk private insurers available to homeowners as a last resort. They blow from northeast to southwest, a switch from the Bay Areas usual winds, which come off the ocean. WebCity Maps. As a result, the department has launched a new Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) division and expanded property inspections to all of the homes in Berkeleys high fire zones. Sign up for emergency notifications. The hope, he said, is that the message doesnt change as it goes from person to person. Recent developments include Alameda Countys adoption of Zonehaven evacuation software, the growing expanse of Alert Wildfires camera network, state legislation enforcing defensible space regulations in high fire zones, the push to educate the public about warning systems such as AC Alert and Nixle and siren systems that operate when power is out existing in Oakland and in development in Berkeley. Berkeley Heights Township 29 Park Avenue These factors include weather, traffic flows, street design, historical disaster data, geography and more. -I6Ffl2K{;`YT_v2O;ON]&]dt_?qfkgK@F#o8NT"#or{M lkv7x\o^Qf\Gb%}dz|_u'7P-F]}bq2r>,_NY#b\GRNf}. The effects of climate change, overgrown forests, prolonged drought as well as increased recreation and housing in wildland areas have all contributed to significant and record-breaking seasons of wildfires year after year, he said. More details are available on the councils website or by calling 510-282-1265. We provide the ability to download some of the maps on their devices, so they can look at them if the power goes out, Crocker said. 0000090848 00000 n The Zonehaven go-live date is scheduled for June 15, barring last-minute changes. It helps us build and maintain our evacuation plans., A. What should I do? 0000362692 00000 n Everyone is encouraged to see their own healthcare professional to review what is best for them. Her work as a journalist has encompassed everything from 10 years as a daily news reporter for the East Bay Times, Free for all, funded by readers. In the Bay Areas moist summer fog belt, the East Bays wildland fire risk tends to concentrate during dry, warm, windy conditions. What should I do? Never let your coverage lapse because it opens a window when many companies cancel or refuse to renew. 0000520194 00000 n A relatively recent jump in fires around the San Francisco Bay shoreline and adjacent freeways and railroad tracks, linked largely to encampments, poses risks to immediate structures and open space. WebIn 2007, CAL FIRE classified areas within its state firefighting responsibility area (SRA) as belonging to one of several fire hazard severity classifications: moderate fire severity hazard (yellow on map), high fire severity hazard (orange), very high fire severity hazard (red), and unzoned (gray). The citys map shows each address fire risk Thousands of homes were destroyed in recent California fires, with many people discovering they didnt have enough coverage. The nine-month process will be collaborative, Pinto said, with a new online hub set to launch in late July, as well as public meetings in August, September and December before the citys Disaster and Fire Safety Commission. Nonprofit news. What do I need to know? Zones almost always stay constant unless there is a significant change such as new development buildings or roadways. %%EOF Free for all, funded by readers. 0000001226 00000 n City Map - 2008. How can seniors and people with disabilities prepare for wildfires? Much of the state is under a Red Flag Warning tonight and tomorrow, Wengraf said, kicking off the May 19 event. Clearing dead plant materials and dry vegetation. 0 4 0 obj<> endobj The horrific wildfires of Northern California brought attention to how renters can be impacted, including losing all their belongings in a blaze and then experiencing homelessness. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA): These alerts are sent by authorized government agencies such as the National Weather Service, FEMA, and local police and fire departments to WEA-capable phones via your provider. Nixle (email, text): Nixle is an alert system local police and fire departments use to send messages on crime, traffic, weather, and events. A. (Emergency alerts such as evacuation orders and Extreme Fire Weather warnings are sent out by all means available text, phone, email, social media, push alert. Participants of the program get national recognition for their work, he said. This year, the Berkeley Fire Department is dramatically expanding its formal inspection program. Evac is a program for first responders and emergency planners and billed as an evacuation management tool. 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