As California settles into summer days, the busy fire months begin for California firefighters statewide. According to the Cal Fire, in just the past week, 256 new fires were started and a total of 2,357 fires have been recorded for the year.
We are looking at how certain communities are preparing for a major fire.
Fairfield’s risk factors
According to Fairfield Fire Department Deputy Chief Matt Luckenbach, there is true wildfire risk in Fairfield.
Fairfield has significant wildfire risks in its hillside areas near the city, according to the Fairfield’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. Luckenbach said the hills near I-680, parts of the Green Valley area, and “basically anything that has western edge” has a wildfire risk.
According to the Fairfield General Plan, some of these are areas with high potential for burning “due to mixed woodland-grassland, grassland, steep slopes, poor access, and winds." These winds were a special concern for Deputy Chief Luckenbach who claimed that City of Fairfield can experience winds about 10 miles higher than other areas.
The General Plan also identifies portions of the foothill watershed areas surrounding Fairfield as having risk, as well. Due to the dangers to people, property, and firefighters, the General Plan discourages development in those areas.
Luckenbach encourages people to maintain defensible space and maintain their property. He added that there have been cases where homeowners have been able to preserve their home due to the care they gave to their property.
“The big thing is preparation," Luckenbach said. "You really do see a big difference in the people who are prepared."
In addition to individuals taking efforts to help themselves, Fairfield has a department with five fire stations and six units available to handle hazards. In terms of personnel, that is a total of 18 people on duty per day, however, this number can be increase due to additional factors. The city is also bolstered by a mutual aid agreement that can bring additional units.
Evacuation procedure for Solano County
Evacuation orders can be given by the county sheriff, fire and law incident commander, county administrator, or the emergency services manager. For evacuations, Solano County does not authorize forcible evacuations, however officers can refuse to admit others into impacted areas and exceptions can be made for adults who will not evacuate minors from a dangerous environment.
People in an evacuation may be informed that there is no guarantee that resources to rescue them will be available and that failure to evacuate may result in injury or death. If people refuse to evacuate, they may have to sign a waiver and document from law enforcement. The public information system will provide instruction through alert and warning systems.
According to Luckenbach, additional consideration should be given for pet food, medications, clothing, and having a fire evacuation plan for the home or even the neighborhood.
What the California Office of Emergency Services offers in the event of local emergencies
According to Public Information Officer Bryan May for the California Office of Environmental Services, California has the most robust mutual aid program in the country, which communities can benefit from in times of an emergency.
“We at Cal OES coordinate that mutual aid across the entire state. It’s the 9-1-1 for local 9-1-1. In other words, every emergency starts local,” said May through e-mail.“ When the situation gets to the point where the local first responders know they need help, they call the State Warning Center, part of Cal OES, and we coordinate getting help from anywhere in the state to anywhere in the state. “
How to stay informed
“I think it’s going to be a long season, I encourage everybody to be prepared and stay updated,” said Luckenbach.
The Deputy Chief also advises residents to utilize the Fairfield Nixle to get their updates. The Fairfield Fire Department can also be followed on Facebook.
To be informed of any evacuation orders or emergency information, residents of Solano County can register at “Alert Solano." They can also follow them on Facebook.
Cal Fire also provides an online resource for wildfire preparedness with the “Ready, Set, Go” program.