SoHum Fire Safe Council focuses on Garberville
Press release from Southern Humboldt Fire Safe Council:
Garberville residents and businesses are invited to join the Southern Humboldt Fire Safe Council for a focused discussion about fire prevention, fire disaster preparation and readiness specifically for the town of Garberville. What makes Garberville vulnerable to wildfire ? Could Garberville be another Paradise? Why would homes in Garberville ignite in the event of wildfire? How can we make our town less likely to be ignited by a wildfire?
What have other communities done? These are some of the questions that will be addressed by presenters including local CAL FIRE, local Volunteer Fire Departments, and Diana Totten, Technical Rescue and wildfire expert. Representatives from other Southern Humboldt communities, including Shelter Cove, Petrolia and Benbow will also share information about how they are working towards fire readiness.
Tune in to this virtual gathering on Wednesday, December 8 from 3:30-5pm through Zoom. To find the link for the zoom event go to the top of the Southern Humboldt Fire Safe Council webpage at https://sohumfiresafe.org/ . or contact [email protected]
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Please remember a few simple facts:
CALFIRE offers Free on Site inspections of your property for fire safety and “defensible space” paid by your tax dollars.
AQMD (NorCal Air Quality Management District) has non-standard (1/4 acre burn area) burn permits for only $40. If you have a burn permit you can renew online.
CALFIRE/OES/PG&E/FEMA/FSC made a free DVD called “Controlling Natures Rath”
“Shows how to become fire safe from low cost maintence projects to fixes and remodeling…When it comes to fire safety, the effort you invest now will pay off, even if you never experience a wildfire”: language from the cover of the DVD.
And CALFIRE has Youtube video’s concerning defensible space and safe burning practices on burn piles.
Local tip: most poison oak vines have lost their leaves so winter is the best season to
remove poison oak vines and bushes (just wear old clothes, rubber boots and heavy gloves) and always wear a hat around heavy brush (due to ticks).
Remember it is your property (responsibility) and if a brush removal job is too big:
Do a hour of work per (day) on a brush removal project and within a week or so
the project is done.
Oh and best of all!!!
Consult your local Volunteer Fire Department if you have questions.
All VFD’s conduct training exercises (driving fire truck, water tenders, water pumping & hose layouts and even live fire fuels reduction). Live fire Fuels reduction exercises are done for free by the local volunteer fire department (just have to have a burn permit and have a burn plan submitted to Calfire) example: remember the control burn at French Ranch in Ettersburg.
Talk to your local Fire Captains or Chief/Calfire Station about fuel loads around your house as that FSC does not have fire trucks or respond to fires.
Support your local Firefighters as that they are your neighbors!
Question; will the Garberville Sanitary District (GSD) be there, i.e. Board members or General Manager to ask questions, since they control the water in and around Garberville? And what is the plan for water thru GSD, how much water storage or capacity does GSD have dedicated just for wildfires? In the last Water Source Capacity Report GSD produced (2020), it looked to me all the capacity for water was being used for new development, i.e. New Hospital, New Cannabis Grows, Motels, apartments, restaurants etc, not water set aside just for fire prevention or fighting wildfires and what about those old fire hydrants outside of downtown, are they all working properly? We all know how low the South Fork Eel got in 2021 and its not going to get any better! Humans are not the only species that need year round flowing rivers, creeks and streams to survive.
https://www.garbervillesd.org/files/71e1065bb/2020+Water+Source+Capacity+Analysis_COMPILED.pdf
And will Diana Totten only be there as a wildfire expert, not representing Clearwater Ag Services?