WebA map showing CAL FIRE's Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) within the city of Berkeley as well as the designated planning Californias wildfire season typically occurs between spring and late fall due to the warmer temperatures and drier conditions of summer. Fire fuel chipper program kicks off June 6. Simons. 0000598246 00000 n The Berkeley Fire Department recommends that residents make plans to leave the hills during periods of Extreme Fire Weather. Extreme Fire Weather is far more rare than Red Flag Warnings. In 2020, Berkeley had 25 days of Red Flag Warnings and only 2 days of Extreme Fire Weather. The headache of finding adequate coverage is hard on most people affected. (We asked for the countywide cost and havent received this information yet.). A. 0000362692 00000 n Title: FireZone.mxd Author: AYLee Created Date: 6/16/2008 2:34:28 PM When do I need to wear a mask or stay indoors? Thousands of homes were destroyed in recent California fires, with many people discovering they didnt have enough coverage. For driving routes, focus on main roads that connect with major streets and highways. 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. Much of the state is under a Red Flag Warning tonight and tomorrow, Wengraf said, kicking off the May 19 event. Keeping a small supply of tools handy to help put out small fires, including a fire extinguisher, shovel and rake. Police. Use these sources for the most up-to-date information from officials: Bookmark community.zonehaven.comon your computer and phone. What should I do? In the language of emergency planning, the place people are directed to during an evacuation is called an arrival point. Once you reach the Property Summary page for a subject property, click on either: Connect with us online, by phone, or in person. They also might not. 0000001226 00000 n 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. We love our first responders; theyre amazing, but theyre humans, and they have limited resources, Crocker said. After two days, 25 people were dead and another 150 injured. Zones almost always stay constant unless there is a significant change such as new development buildings or roadways. #CaliforniaWildfires pic.twitter.com/3wzkjPFvtE. 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. During any major fire, and especially during a drought, water is precious. Visit the Community GIS Portal to search development conditions, building permit history, or zoning designation for a specific address or parcel number in the City FORM State officials have also been spreading the word about how communities can prepare for increasingly dangerous blazes. Zone 0 isnt yet required by law, but CalFire stresses its importance, and legal regulations are in the works. only wastes water, Temmermand said. This is the area closest to any structure and should be hardscaped with gravel, rocks, concrete or any material that cant ignite. There are currently 130 sworn fire suppression personnel. Freelancer Catherine "Kate" Rauch has been contributing to Berkeleyside for several years. The cost of insurance if you can get it is challenging or prohibitive for some family budgets. An evacuation zone is a portion of the community that has been sliced out to most effectively call for and manage evacuation, Crocker said. Police and fire can feed the software information during incidents and for practices and drills. The research also found three major fires that started during the more common west winds, which blow east from the Pacific Ocean. To access these features, please read and accept the disclaimer on the Search page. What if Im unhoused or know people who are in my area? Q. To access: Sign up for warnings on the AC Alert website or by downloading the Everbridge app. This Emergency Access and Evacuation Network map identifies roads with capacity for more cars. 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. Whats the difference? Berkeley Heights Township 29 Park Avenue Chin also encouraged attendees to sign up for disaster preparedness training updates via the citys Community Emergency Response Team. 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. 0000000936 00000 n (No!). Ive been working on this for a year and a half. Check your phones capability, and dont turn the WEA alert option off. Their zone. To help the community adapt, the Berkeley Fire Department is working to develop a new wildfire mitigation roadmap, dubbed the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). If you can save five minutes, you can save lives; if you can save an hour, you can save lives. Unfortunately, there isnt a lot of assistance available. This year, the tax will fund more than $3.5 million in wildfire preparedness efforts alone. Local agencies can also create stricter regulations than state authorities. 0000000716 00000 n In the meantime, Berkeley says its partnering with Oakland, UC Berkeley and the East Bay Regional Park District to improve coordination between overlapping jurisdictions this fire season. Unlike property owners, rebuilding or dealing with homeowners insurance wasnt relevant. Your plan will: Will you wait to evacuate after fire starts, or will you leave during periods of heightened threat? According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, a partnership of national agencies that includes the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Bay Area is experiencing an exceptional drought this summer, the worst level. Check the citys Office of Emergency Services website for resources. 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. Emergency planners are asking residents to immediately do a few things to prepare for Zonehaven: Be ready to receive information, May said. Things just go a ton faster. The Berkeley Fire Department recommends that residents make plans to leave the hills during periods of Extreme Fire Weather. xb``b``fg``d@@---IXd0-9`s? [}A S' This includes swaths of the Oakland and Berkeley hills. Local jurisdictions including Berkeley base their own regulations on the CalFire model. Zones are built by local emergency planners in collaboration with Zonehaven. 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. A. California and the rest of the Western United States are seeing an increase in serious wildfires, which many experts link to climate change. How can I monitor air quality in my neighborhood? They can pull out their map book and use their radio. The map book allows police and fire to order evacuations by zone rather than try to describe evacuation areas by street names. Download the Everbridge app to get push notifications for all AC Alert messages, including Red Flag Warnings. Talk to friends and family who you might be able to stay with, or consider putting aside money to stay in a hotel. only wastes water, Temmermand said. If you live in Fire Zone 2 or 3 (the Berkeley hills) ,the Berkeley Fire Department recommends that you leave during Extreme Fire Weather, before a fire starts. Leaving early gives you the most control over how you will get down the hill and what you can bring. The citys map shows each address fire risk It can provide detailed information on fire code requirements for everything from a rental house to a multi-unit apartment complex. Though in high wildland fire risk zones, creating defensible space is the law. A map of the area showing the fire zones is available here. Including: On hot days, many people living in high-risk areas of the East Bay hills like to water their yards often to keep their plants and grounds moist and damp, as a deterrent to flying embers or flames. Wood such as siding, shingles, roofs or decks are kindling to embers and fuel for flames. Another new program that began in Berkeley this year is called Firewise USA: Neighbors work together to increase ignition resistance and reduce wildfire risk in their area. Nonprofit news. To access: Bookmark the Red Crosss shelter map, download the apps and see other information about wildfire safety. Which apps and websites can help me during a wildfire? Berlant said the 2022 wildfire year is well underway: Cal Fire has already responded to 2,300 wildfires, which have burned nearly 11,000 acres. To access: Go to the National Weather Service website. This year, the Berkeley Fire Department is dramatically expanding its formal inspection program. These maps are designed to give the general public as well as land-use planners, utilities and lifeline owners, and emergency response officials, new and better tools to assess their risk from earthquake damage. The hazard is ranked in three categories: moderate, high and very high. The East Bay Regional Park District cites budget constraints and a lengthy permitting process as major hurdles to vegetation clearing and management. It might take this long to get a new policy, so try not to procrastinate. These zones are What do I need to know about wildfire smoke? This includes active or recent signs of campfire, candles, stoves and lamps. Zonehaven lets us get the information out quickly and put it on a platform that any responding agency can see., The software also allows agencies to train for various emergencies and scenarios. Defensible space is a term thats become commonplace with the increased risk of wildfires. Many were left with nothing but bank accounts, if they had them, and reliance on family and friends. An interactive map displays the parcel number and zoning for adjacent parcels. How can I find out if there is a power outage scheduled for my area? Call BFD at 510-981-5589 or email fire@cityofberkeley.info. That fire destroyed 580 homes with an unknown number of deaths. Make a household fire weather plan. They blow from northeast to southwest, a switch from the Bay Areas usual winds, which come off the ocean. In two weeks, Berkeley and the rest of Alameda County are slated to launch a new evacuation software system called Zonehaven. This is different from many surrounding communities outside of the fog belt, which face months-long continual extreme fire danger. Wetting down decks, siding, roofs, etc. If you leave after a fire starts, you may not be able to get out with your car, so you must be prepared to evacuate on foot. Free for all, funded by readers. These funds are being tapped to pay for the citys new voice-capable emergency sirens, slated for installation around the end of the year. Some laws have been adopted, including: Learn more about the new state laws in updates from Nolo Press and the Public Policy Institute of California. Berkeley Fire Chief Abe Roman told attendees that the biggest development for the department this year has been due to Measure FF, an $8.5-million-per-year emergency services parcel tax passed by voters in 2020. During a fire, emergency responders will use this portal to post real-time, zone-specific evacuation warnings and orders. )St But most emergency planners feel strongly that you should do all you can to make your property more defensible, even with the unknown. Some local hotels offer special rates to residents during fire season. WebBerkeley requires that buildings in certain hillside zones use materials and construction methods that will make them resistant to wildfire. In the event of a fire, we will send evacuation notifications overAC Alert. And when batteries die, there is still paper. The Berkeley Fire Department has proudly served the Berkeley community since 1904 and continues to build a strong bond with the people we serve. The department aims to be recognized as a leader that responds effectively with well-trained and compassionate professionals. A. In an emergency, you can also monitor KQED 88.5 FM or KCBS 740 AM for updates. Sources used in compiling this guide: CalFire, Berkeley Fire Department, Oakland Fire Department, FEMA, Alameda County Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service, National Interagency Fire Center, National Wildfire Coordinating Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Centers for Disease Control, Pacific Gas & Electric, East Bay Municipal Utility District, East Bay Regional Park District, California Fire Safe Council, Governors Office of Emergency Services, Community Emergency Alert Teams, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, University of California Cooperative Extension, Oakland Animal Services, Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network, Hills Emergency Forum, Alameda County Office of Emergency Services, Oakland Firesafe Council, Diablo Firesafe Council, FIRESafe Marin, Public Health Institute, California Air Resources Board, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, American Red Cross, Kaiser Permanente, Mask Oakland, Zonehaven, ALERTWildfire, City of Mill Valley, City of Ross. Deep dive research conducted in 2001 by the Hills Wildfire Working Group, a multiagency group formed in response to the Oakland firestorm, found that between 1923 and 1998, at least 10 major fires erupted in densely populated areas of the East Bay hills, claiming homes and lives. Maintaining your yard is not just about saving your home. Please read this section carefully. Removing ladder fuels that let fire climb from the ground to trees. Do this for fences, gates and arbors especially where they are closest to your or a neighbors house. Given the perfect scenario in which all factors are in alignment, one could expect a significant fire with spread into the city, Roman said. FEMAs dedicated text message number is 43362. But the board overseeing the district has identified wildland fire prevention as a primary goal. Forms. The Berkeley City Council is in the early stages of considering a parking policy to help keep narrow streets clear for emergency vehicles. 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