What to do after a wildfire

Though we can prepare our families, home, and property for fire, wildfires are an inevitable part of living in fire-prone landscapes. Most educational material focuses on preparation. But what should we do after a wildfire has burned through our area? -First, stay informed. Don’t try to get back to your home until local law enforcement allow you to return. Be prepared to show evidence...

Santa Barbara County Firefighters Clearing Brush

Santa Barbara County firefighters are clearing brush along San Marcos Road as part of the County’s participation in the Ready, Set, Go! wildfire preparedness program which debuted in California last year. Santa Barbara County Fire has more information on Ready, Set, Go! at their website, and are urging residents to prepare their properties for the fire season by creating defensible space...

Governor declares Wildfire Awareness Week in California

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared May 2-8 to be Wildfire Awareness Week (PDF) in California. Cal Fire’s theme for the week is You Provide the Defense, We Provide the Offense! based on the internationally recognized Ready, Set, Go! program. Events are planned through the week, with a planned roll-out of a new CalFire website called Ready for Fire on May 2nd and a kick-off event...

Ready, Set, Go! Community workshops for fire safety program planned in California

Fire safety agencies throughout California are planning community fire safety workshops introducing Ready, Set, Go!, a program that has already gained the endorsement of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Ventura County Fire, and Orange County Fire. Santa Barbara County has begun a series of community workshops which will run through May 1st introducing the program. The times and...

Ready, Set, Go! Wildfire safety program gaining favor in the U.S.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs is promoting a new program for inhabitants of fire prone areas (not just the Wildland-Urban Interface) called Ready, Set, Go! The concept is deceptively simple: each word stands for a phase of planning and preparation for wildland fire. Get Ready! This phase begins months or years before the wildfire’s ignition, with outreach from firefighters...