Greater Golden Hill Fire Safe Council
Neighbors organizing to protect our homes, our canyons, and our community.
Greater Golden Hill is a neighborhood defined by its canyons — and those canyons are beautiful, alive, and a source of real wildfire risk. We sit bordered on multiple sides by Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Wildfire is no longer a distant threat or a seasonal one. It's a year-round reality for communities like ours.
The Greater Golden Hill Fire Safe Council (GGH-FSC) was founded by residents who decided to do something about it. We're part of San Diego County's network of more than 50 community Fire Safe Councils — the largest such network of any county in California — and we're here to help our neighborhood take meaningful, practical action.
Upcoming Programs
All programs are free and open to Greater Golden Hill residents.
Home Hardening
& Gardening Series
Pathfinders, 2980 Cedar St 6:00–7:30 PM
April 27 — Ember-buffering landscapes and best practices to reduce wildfire risk to your property. (Jesh Taucher, San Diego Canyonlands)
June 1 — Building fire-resilient, low-fuel gardens that protect your home and conserve water. (Greg Rubin, California's leading native landscape designer)
Green Waste
Dump-A-Thon
Clear your brush — we haul it away for free! From June 1-15 Dumpsters will be placed at:
Granada & Fir St (28th St Canyon)
1945 Felton St (Grape St dead end, near 34th St Canyon)
3153–3159 Ivy St (private canyon edge)
1603 Cedar & Felton
3248 A St (near Golden Hill Elementary / 32nd St Open Space)
Green waste only. No trash. No vegetation from public canyons.
Neighbors compiled these landscaping and brush maintenance contractors if you need helping clearing your property.
Defensible Space Assessment
CAL FIRE-trained volunteer Mike Tuke will walk your property and provide non-regulatory guidance to reduce fire risk and create defensible space. The assessment takes only 15 minutes. Here are links to background information and the assessment form.
Sign up: mtuke0522@gmail.com
The GGH Fire Safe Council’s mission is to provide a neighborhood forum for sharing information and taking action to protect lives, homes, and the unique canyon ecosystems of our community through wildfire-risk reduction.
Community Fire Safety Goals
The Greater Golden Hill Fire Safe Council (GGH-FSC) recognizes that true fire safety depends on a balanced approach that protects people, property, and the environment.
We strive to:
Reduce fire fuels and sources of ignition through responsible vegetation management and community education.
Increase the resiliency of structures and properties by promoting defensible space, fire-hardened building materials, and preparedness planning.
Protect the lives of residents, first responders, wildlife, and even our local chickens and small stock in the event of wildfire.
As a community, our goals reflect collective action—engaging individual residents (homeowners and renters alike), neighborhood collaboration, partnerships with other Fire Safe Councils, and coordination with city services and representatives to:
Increase neighborhood education on disaster preparedness and evacuation awareness, including “Ingress/Egress... and/or... Stop, Drop & Roll.”
Reduce fire safety threats associated with illegal camping in and around canyon areas.
Reduce invasive vegetation and increase fire-wise landscaping by promoting our “Swapping Fire Fuel for Habitat” initiative in defensible spaces and canyons.
Upgrade fire resistance of structures throughout the community, prioritizing low-income residents and seniors.
GGH is surrounded by Very High Fire Hazard Risk Severity Zones, shown here in red
On October 31, 2024, San Diego experienced its second-largest fire—the Montezuma Fire—igniting on Montezuma Road near Fairmount Avenue and prompting a massive emergency response. In its aftermath, Fire Councils like GGH were formed to prepare for future fires.
We’re Just Getting Started!
Stay tuned to PGGH’s newsletter and calendar of events for future activities. And if you want to get in early on the action, consider joining the Fire Council!
Questions or Comments?
Please write us at:
ggh-fsc@preservegreatergoldenhill.com