Getting Ready for Wildfire Season
Embers from a house burning on Oakridge Drive near Paradise shower a tree and home across the street during the Paradise Fire. [Photo by Mark McKenna]
As the state’s lead emergency management agency, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) responds to a variety of emergencies and disasters throughout the state, including wildfires.
As California recognizes Wildfire Preparedness Week May 1-7, it’s a reminder that due to climate change, we’re experiencing more frequent and intense wildfires and it’s important for everyone to be prepared….
Cal OES continues to work with local, state and federal partners to enhance the state’s ability to prepare for and respond to future disasters and protect vulnerable communities.
California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System
Cal OES facilitates the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System to deploy a fleet of more than 270+ fire engines to 60+ local partners to rapidly respond to wildfires or any all-hazard events across the state.
The engines Cal OES deploys to local partners include:
- Type I engines are the largest in the Cal OES firefighting fleet, and they’re mainly used for structure firefighting and defense. These engines can also be used for search and rescue, but aren’t intended for off road missions.
- Type III engines are mostly used for wildland fire response.
- Type VI engines, able to carry a 4-person crew, are the smallest of the fleet.
- Water tenders carry water to support firefighting operations.
Through the mutual aid system, each of these engines play an important part in saving lives and protecting property statewide.
Meeting our Mission for a More Resilient California
The state is also investing millions of dollars to protect our most at-risk communities, ensuring they have the outreach and education needed to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters of all kinds, including wildfires.
Learn more at Listos California where there’s culturally competent resiliency resources in many languages.
Wildfire Preparedness Tips
We all have a role to play when it comes to being prepared for emergencies of all types. It’s important to communicate with your family about what to do during an emergency.
- Sign up to get alerts at CalAlerts.org
- Make a plan with family and neighbors
- Pack a go bag with essential items for you, your family and your pets
- Learn several routes out of your neighborhood in case you need to evacuate
- Help friends and neighbors get ready
Additional Resources
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poor forest management for the past 40 years is the primary reason for runaway fires. ‘ climate is what you expect, weather is what you get ‘ m. twain.
exactly. Many of the CalFire seasonals collect unemployment in the off season, effectively making them wards of the State for 12 months of the year. Why doesn’t the state keep them on year round at a lower wage and use them for fuel reduction near populated areas. The amount of fuel on the ground throughout CA and the west is insane. It won’t go away on its own.
Their union wouldn’t go for it…
Excellent comment and I agree with you 100%.
Spot on… it was poor and non-excitant…50+ years of fuel to burn mixed with sparking PG&E lines.
Running out of fusees, crawling around with BBQ lighters.
Idk.. so long as northrup-grumman is still spraying shit in the skies that make May look like November and pge continues neglecting their failing infrastructure we will continue burning, and flooding and flooding and burning. The war of corporatocracy v humanity will go on. Unfortunately for the doomsday types there are many thousands of years left in this age of decadence destruction and decline.. so enjoy and have a great day. Kindness is the only real currency anyway.
This cloud cover is a bummer!