Wildfire Reality Check: Density, Evacuation, and a New Fire Safe Council
SAVE THE DATE:
Saturday, January 31 | 1–4 PM
Join us for our first Smokin’ Hot Kickoff Event with Assistant Fire Marshal Kane and the Station 11 firefighters.
Golden Hill Elementary, 1240 33rd St, San Diego, CA 92102
“Raising Cain” means mayhem—and in Southern California, wildfire risk delivers plenty of it. Enter San Diego Fire-Rescue Assistant Fire Marshal and new Wildfire Program Manager Alex Kane, who is focused on solutions, not chaos. So are Greater Golden Hill residents—especially when it comes to evacuation… Because no one wants to play a game of Chutes and Ladders when you are looking for your way out!
As housing density increases, members of Preserve Greater Golden Hill are stepping up on wildfire and evacuation safety. On November 14, the Greater Golden Hill Fire Safe Council (GGH-FSC) was officially accredited and is now focused on preparedness, education, and coordination with fire agencies. (https://www.rcdsandiego.org/wildfire-resilience) Much of Greater Golden Hill sits squarely in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Add tightly packed wooden homes, steep dry canyons, invasive plants, and woody debris, aging infrastructure, tight cul-de-sacs, small streets and you’ve got a recipe no one ordered.
Kane, a former North Park firefighter, strongly supports County-backed Fire Safe Councils. While California native plants are fire-adapted, invasive trees and weeds are firmly in his crosshairs. The good news? Homeowners and renters alike can make meaningful gains with simple, affordable home-hardening and vegetation-management steps. Kane is also strengthening the City’s response with added smokejumper and GIS capacity.
The GGH-FSC will roll out neighborhood education on Saturday, January 31 from 14 with Fire-Rescue experts, including workshops on:
Reducing ember exposure & home hardening
Fire-resistant landscaping
Evacuation modeling (Ingress, Egress… or Do We Have to Stop, Drop & Roll?)
Chili cook-offs with fire truck visits
Chipping & dumpster events (Dumpathons!)
Saving Canyon events
