Woodside FPD, CA
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Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) News
WUI News From All Over
The Woodside Fire Protection District would like to share news and information from around the state. Within articles are additional resources available to the community to help increase awareness on what the rest of the communities in our state are accomplishing. We are hoping these stories inspire community members to make connections and learn different approaches to community protection, prevention, and mitigation. The wildfire threat is real, we all need a community champion to lead the neighborhoods.
Thank you Hillsborough, CA
WUI News From All Over
Falls Creek Ranch HOA, located in Durango, Colorado, uses the RSG National Action Guide as part of their new resident packet. They also break down their efforts by zone to make it easier for the residents, host mitigation meetings, and conduct evacuation drills. They have also created a community of stakeholders in their area. Thank you, Falls Creek Ranch HOA, for all you do and for being an RSG member.
RSG! Program Member Spotlight: Falls Creek Ranch HOA (wildlandfirersg.org)
How to protect your home from wildfires – advice from fire prevention experts on creating defensible space
Feb 6, 2025
Governor Newsom announces suite of new wildfire community hardening measures
What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he will issue an executive order to harden communities from wind-propelled wildfires that turn into urban firestorms.
Washington, D.C. — After meeting with key state and federal leaders on recovery efforts for Los Angeles firestorm survivors, Governor Gavin Newsom today will sign an executive order that directs his Administration to implement key initiatives to harden communities from urban firestorms.
The devastation in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena aren’t new lessons. They are the latest lessons in urban firestorms that have devastated communities across the globe. To meet the needs of increasingly extreme weather, where decades-old buildings weren’t planned and designed for today’s realities, these proposals are part of a bigger state strategy to build wildfire and forest resilience from forest management, to huge investments in firefighting personnel and equipment, community hardening, and adopting state-of-the-art response technologies.
Governor Gavin Newsom
As the state continues updating its research and utilizing the latest science to understand the state’s ever-evolving climate-induced challenges, the Governor will direct the State Board of Forestry to advance implementation of regulations known as “Zone 0,” which will require an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of structures located in the highest fire severity zone in the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone local maps and the State Responsibility Area, mitigating the risk of conflagration in urban areas like what occurred during the Palisades and Eaton firestorms. In addition, the Governor will direct the CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal to release updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps, adding 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire severity, which will update building and local planning requirements for these communities statewide.
“These steps will spur proactive actions to defend the most vulnerable homes and eliminate combustible material within five feet of homes to reduce the risk of a home igniting in an ember-driven fire,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “These are important steps to limit wildland fires from becoming big urban fires.”
Plus, building on the already comprehensive work the state has done to deploy firefighting assets statewide, the Governor will direct his state emergency management and firefighting departments to work with local, federal and tribal partners on reviewing and proposing improvements to the federal resources dispatching system for wildfire response to ensure it can fulfill its purpose of supporting the rapid fulfillment of mutual aid requests during large-scale incidents.
Investing in wildfire prevention
Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond to be committed beginning this year for proactive projects that protect communities from wildfire and promote healthy natural landscapes. Of note, since 2021, the State has made strategic investments in at least 61 fuels reduction projects near the Palisades and Eaton fire perimeters through projects treated over 14,500 acres.
The Newsom Administration has invested $2 billion to support CAL FIRE operations, a 47% increase since 2018, which has helped build CAL FIRE from 5,829 positions to 10,741 in that same period, and the Administration is now implementing shorter workweeks for state firefighters to prioritize firefighter well-being while adding 2,400 additional state firefighters to CAL FIRE’s ranks over the next five years.
Augmenting technological advancements and pre-deployment opportunities
The Newsom Administration has also overseen the expansion of California’s aerial firefighting fleet, including the addition of more than 16 helicopters with several equipped for night operations, expanded five helitack bases, and assumed ownership of seven C-130 air tankers, making it the largest fleet of its kind globally.
California is also leveraging AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker, has deployed the Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) to provide real-time mapping of wildfires, and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense to use satellites for wildfire detection and invested in LiDAR technology to create detailed 3D maps of high-risk areas, helping firefighters better understand and navigate complex terrains.
In anticipation of severe fire weather conditions in early January 2025, Cal OES approved the prepositioning of 65 fire engines, as well as more than 120 additional firefighting resources and personnel in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, and CAL FIRE moved firefighting resources to Southern California including 45 additional engines and six hand crews to the region.
During the wildfires, California was able to mobilize more than 16,000 personnel including firefighters, National Guard servicemembers, California Highway Patrol officers and transportation teams to support the response to the Los Angeles firestorms, and more than 2,000 firefighting apparatus composed of engines, aircraft, dozers and water tenders to aid in putting out the fires.
The Governor will sign the executive order upon his return from Washington, D.C. where he is advocating for federal aid for firestorm survivors.
Governor Newsom signs executive order to further prepare for future urban firestorms, stepping up already nation-leading strategies
What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed an executive order to launch key initiatives to continue adapting to future extreme firestorm events in urban communities and leading the way to build a more resilient state.
Sacramento, California – Adding to California’s nation-leading fire safety standards, Governor Gavin Newsom today signed an executive order to further improve community hardening and wildfire mitigation strategies to neighborhood resilience statewide. A copy of the executive order is available here.
We are living in a new reality of extremes. Believe the science – and your own damn eyes: Mother Nature is changing the way we live and we must continue adapting to those changes. California’s resilience means we will keep updating our standards in the most fire-prone areas.
Governor Gavin Newsom
The executive order issued by Governor Newsom does the following:
- Directs the State Board of Forestry to accelerate its work to adopt regulations known as “Zone 0,” which will require an ember-resistant zone within 5 feet of structures located in the highest fire severity zones in the state.
- Tasks the Office of the State Fire Marshal with releasing updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for areas under local government responsibility, adding 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire severity, which will update building and local planning requirements for these communities statewide.
- Requires the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to work with local, federal and tribal partners on improvements to the Federal resource ordering system for wildfire response.
Protecting homes
Science has shown that combustible material within the immediate five feet of a structure contributes the greatest risk of embers directly or indirectly igniting the home. “Zone 0” regulations under development for new and existing construction would require an ember-resistant zone within the immediate 5-feet of structures in local area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones in Local Responsibility Areas, and Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility Areas.
Zone 0 regulations would move forward this year in tandem with financial assistance and relief for homeowners, proposed in the Governor’s January Budget, and to be augmented by the California Conservation Corps supporting work in vulnerable communities and in coordination with local Fire Safe Councils. While it is anticipated that the regulations would apply to new construction upon taking effect, requirements for existing homes would likely be phased in over three years to allow homeowners to prepare and prioritize mitigations and secure financial assistance.
Research suggests that the cost of building a home with Zone 0 mitigations already incorporated adds little to no cost to building a comparable home without those features.
Updating fire hazard severity areas
To ensure future resiliency against urban firestorms, local government planners and developers will have to factor in wildfire-hardening requirements in building planning, design, and construction within nearly 2.3 million acres of land in areas where local governments are responsible for wildfire prevention and response, known as local responsibility areas.
The release of updated Fire Hazard Severity Zones for Local Responsibility Area maps would identify new areas where new development is required to adhere to the highest standards of wildfire resilient building codes and land-use planning. These new zones and maps would add approximately 1.4 million new acres of land into the two higher tiers of fire hazard severity. Specifically, they would expand current wildfire building resiliency requirements in the High-Fire Hazard Severity Zone to approximately 1.16 million new acres, and they would expand both current wildfire building and local planning resiliency requirements in the Very High- Fire Hazard Severity Zone to approximately 247,000 new acres.
The release of these updated zones and maps, which are expected to be released one region at a time beginning in Northern California, would begin a 120-day clock for local government jurisdictions to adopt local ordinances incorporating the State Fire Marshal’s recommendations.
The release of these Local Responsibility Area maps would follow last year’s release of equivalent updated zones and maps in the State Responsibility Area, and follow months of planning discussions, including consultation with insurance providers who have developed their own models to determine risk, premiums and coverage that are independent of the state’s Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps.
Investing in wildfire prevention
Overall, the state has more than doubled investments in wildfire prevention and landscape resilience efforts, providing more than $2.5 billion in wildfire resilience since 2020, with an additional $1.5 billion from the 2024 Climate Bond to be committed beginning this year for proactive projects that protect communities from wildfire and promote healthy natural landscapes. Of note, since 2021, the State has made strategic investments in at least 61 fuels reduction projects near the Palisades and Eaton fire perimeters through projects treated over 14,500 acres.
The Newsom Administration has invested $2 billion to support CAL FIRE operations, a 47% increase since 2018, which has helped build CAL FIRE from 5,829 positions to 10,741 in that same period, and the Administration is now implementing shorter workweeks for state firefighters to prioritize firefighter well-being while adding 2,400 additional state firefighters to CAL FIRE’s ranks over the next five years.
Augmenting technological advancements and pre-deployment opportunities
The Newsom Administration has also overseen the expansion of California’s aerial firefighting fleet, including the addition of more than 16 helicopters with several equipped for night operations, expanded five helitack bases, and assumed ownership of seven C-130 air tankers, making it the largest fleet of its kind globally.
California is also leveraging AI-powered tools to spot fires quicker, has deployed the Fire Integrated Real-Time Intelligence System (FIRIS) to provide real-time mapping of wildfires, and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense to use satellites for wildfire detection and invested in LiDAR technology to create detailed 3D maps of high-risk areas, helping firefighters better understand and navigate complex terrains.
In anticipation of severe fire weather conditions in early January 2025, Cal OES approved the prepositioning of 65 fire engines, as well as more than 120 additional firefighting resources and personnel in Los Angeles, Orange, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties, and CAL FIRE moved firefighting resources to Southern California including 45 additional engines and six hand crews to the region.
During the wildfires, California was able to mobilize more than 16,000 personnel including firefighters, National Guard servicemembers, California Highway Patrol officers and transportation teams to support the response to the Los Angeles firestorms, and more than 2,000 firefighting apparatus composed of engines, aircraft, dozers and water tenders to aid in putting out the fires.
What they’re saying:
- Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, original author of the Mental Health Services Act: “Twenty years ago, I never could have dreamed that we would have the strong leadership we have today, committing billions and making courageous policy changes that question the conventional wisdom on mental health. Now, with the passage of Proposition 1. California is delivering on decades old promises to help people living with brain-based illnesses, to live better lives, to live independently and to live with dignity in our communities. This is a historic moment and the hard work is ahead of us.“
- Senator Susan Eggman (D-Stockton), author of Senate Bill 326: “Today marks a day of hope for thousands of Californians who are struggling with mental illness – many of whom are living unhoused. I am tremendously grateful to my fellow Californian’s for passing this important measure. And I am very appreciative of this Governor’s leadership to transform our behavioral health care system!”
- Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), author of Assembly Bill 531: “This started as an audacious proposal to address the root cause of homelessness and today, Californians can be proud to know that they did the right thing by passing Proposition 1. Now, it’s time for all of us to get to work, and make sure these reforms are implemented and that we see results.”
Bigger picture: Transforming the Mental Health Services Act into the Behavioral Health Services Act and building more community mental health treatment sites and supportive housing is the last main pillar of Governor Newsom’s Mental Health Movement – pulling together significant recent reforms like 988 crisis line, CalHOPE, CARE Court, conservatorship reform, CalAIM behavioral health expansion (including mobile crisis care and telehealth), Medi-Cal expansion to all low-income Californians, Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (including expanding services in schools and on-line), Older Adult Behavioral Health Initiative, Veterans Mental Health Initiative, Behavioral Health Community Infrastructure Program, Behavioral Health Bridge Housing, Health Care Workforce for All and more.
Recent news
Governor Gavin Newsom, facing nationwide criticism after the devastating Los Angeles fires, on Thursday signed an executive order to force many California homeowners to create a 5-foot “ember-resistant” zone around their houses.
Newsom ordered that within 45 days state officials must post a draft of the five-foot rule and hold a public workshop to gather input on it, then produce a final rule by year’s end.
Wildfire experts in recent years have highlighted the dangers of wind-driven embers that can travel great distances and ignite flammable materials on and around homes. With climate change contributing to larger, more frequent wildfires, state authorities have focused heavily on pushing residents to create “defensible space” around their homes.
Newsom’s office on Friday referred questions to the state Department of Natural Resources, which referred questions to Cal Fire. That agency acknowledged Friday that many details of the new rule have yet to be sorted out. Cal Fire said the Office of the State Fire Marshal would support the state’s forestry board to recommend regulations at the board’s meeting next month. Here is what is known so far:
Q: What will homeowners have to do to comply with the rule?
A: Ensure that the 5-foot zone surrounding their home, which Newsom’s order calls “Zone 0,” is “ember resistant.”
Q: What does “ember resistant” mean?
A: Cal Fire noted that final regulations have not been issued yet. But the agency said that in Zone 0, gravel, pavers or concrete should be used instead of bark, mulch or combustible greenery. Dead and dying plants, weeds, leaves, tree needles, wood piles and other flammable debris should be removed. Homeowners should consider moving garbage and recycling containers, along with vehicles, boats and RVs, outside the zone.
Q: What about fences and other structures?
A: Flammable fencing, gates and arbors should be replaced within the 5-foot zone by non-combustible alternatives, Cal Fire said. The agency has warned that vinyl fences are not as vulnerable to embers but can catch fire when exposed to direct flames.
Q: Why do state officials believe this new 5-foot rule is necessary?
A: Cal Fire on Friday called the requirement “key for wildfire defense and preventing fires from spreading to homes.” The agency said recent research it participated in “has provided science-based evidence showing how the first five feet of defensible space can make a difference to prevent embers and direct flame contact from igniting homes.
Q: What authority does Newsom have to impose this rule?
A: The state legislature in 2020 passed Assembly Bill 3074, which included the ember-resistant zone mandate. But that requirement was never developed into a regulation by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Newsom’s order compels the board to create the regulation.
Q: Will this be a state-wide rule?
A: The order refers to two existing state laws. Public Resources Code section 4291 imposes the 5-foot requirement for all structures within Cal Fire’s responsibility area, which includes regions outside cities. California state code 51182 mandates it for homes in areas of “very high fire hazard severity” that are under local fire-response jurisdictions.
Q: Is my home in an area of very high fire hazard severity?
A: Newsom’s order suggests you should know that soon. The Governor ordered the state Fire Marshal to provide the public and local agencies with updated fire-hazard maps for areas under local jurisdiction in phases starting Monday, Feb. 10. On Friday, the California Fire Chiefs Association said a map for much of Northern California would be released Monday. The Bay Area map is to be released Feb. 24, the Central Valley and Coast map March 10, and the Southern California and Eastern Sierra map March 24.
Current Cal Fire maps show significant portions of some Bay Area cities would fall under the rule if not removed from updated maps, including large parts of Saratoga, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, Woodside and Portola Valley, Berkeley and Oakland, Lafayette and Orinda, among other places.
Q: Who would enforce this rule?
A: Cal Fire is to enforce the rule in its responsibility area, and the agency said it was up to local jurisdictions to enforce it in their areas.
Q: What happens if a homeowner does not comply with the rule?
A: That’s unclear. Assembly Bill 3074 refers to penalties, but Cal Fire did not immediately answer a question about possible fines.
Local first responders install AI sensors for early wildfire detection
It’s been six months since smoke detectors were installed locally. Here’s everything you need to know about the project.
Local first responders install AI sensors for early wildfire detection
Cal Fire’s Fire Hazard Severity maps for local jurisdictions, issued in 2011, are being updated, with Bay Area maps released Monday. While the old maps showed only areas deemed “very high” hazard, the new ones show that category, but also areas with “high” and “moderate” hazard.