Local Fire Safe Councils, Firewise Communities, and Fire Mitigation Groups
The Benbow Firewise Community formed in 2021 with the goal of “promoting and facilitating fire safe awareness and preparedness”. In 2022, Benbow was officially recognised as a Firewise Community in good standing by the NFPA. Since then, the group has been meeting regularly to further their mission to improve their community. Priorities include coordinating vegetation removal from neighbor’s properties, educating the public on the latest fire safety information, and assisting in the local Garberville Fire Protection District expansion efforts.
The Benbow Fire Safe Community meets every 3rd Monday of the month at 5pm.
More information can and contact info be found at their website: www.benbowfiresafe.com or at https://humboldtgov.org/3285/Benbow
The Greater Palo Verde Fire Safe Council formed in the spring of 2022 and covers the area from Harris all the way to Island Mountain. At the top of their objectives is to help reduce hazardous fuel and create defensible space around homes and roads with regular volunteer work parties. Other goals include education and outreach to the community about the need for fuels reduction and the best ways to go about creating defensible space. The GPV FSC meets monthly on the first Saturday of the month.
For more information contact Kim
The Salmon Creek Firewise Community achieved their “good standing” status in the spring of 2022. They work closely with the Salmon Creek Volunteer Fire Department to get the word out about fire season preparation. Among other things, the group seeks to provide local landowners with easily applicable information about Defensible Space and Home Hardening. More information can be found here: https://humboldtgov.org/3286/Salmon-Creek.
To get involved with Salmon Creek activities: contact John
The Whale Gulch Fire Safe Council emerged in the winter of ’20-’21 with the support of Whale Gulch Volunteer Fire Company and Coastal Headwaters League (both are 501c3 non-profits). There are unique challenges with spanning the county line, but also benefits. A NEST program for 10 neighborhoods has been implemented and alternative communication systems for emergency notification are being explored. Grants have helped landowners improve their defensible space and establish a local fuel reduction crew consisting of WGVFC members, thereby creating local job opportunities.
For more information contact
The Crooked Prairie Fire Safe Council was formed in 2005 from the dissolution of the Crooked Prairie volunteer fire company. A primary focus of the group is education of fire safe practices such as defensible space, sudden oak death identification and treatments, and emergency pre-planning. The private road system has been treated repeatedly to create and maintain a shaded fuel break and safe access route. Grants have helped with roadside fuel reduction, culvert replacement, and water storage at the firehouse. A NEST program has been in place since 1999.CPFSC meets annually and as the need arises.
For more information contact
[email protected] or [email protected]
The Garberville Fire Safe Group formed in early 2022 to better prepare Garberville for the coming fire season. The group is actively distributing educational materials, coordinating volunteer efforts, offering informal home inspections for defensible space and home hardening improvements, and engaging in outreach to the homeless community with the help of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The group also offers made-to-order reflective address signs, which can greatly improve response times in an emergency.
The Garberville Fire Safe Group meets every other Tuesday at 3:30pm. Or, tables on Fridays in Garberville regularly, including at the Farmers Market on the first Friday of each month.
For more information contact Christina
Redway kicked off its first meeting in August of 2022 and is steadily gaining momentum.
The Redway Fire Safe group seeks to improve community fire resiliency, learn and teach the best practices of wildfire safety and preparation, and find more ways to make the job of the Redway Volunteer Fire Department easier and safer.
To see how you can be a part of this growing movement contact Sarah
Shelter Cove earned its Firewise USA recognition in 2014 and is constantly working to make their community more fire safe. The Shelter Cove Volunteer Fire Department works closely with the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Firewise Board to improve defensible space around homes and roads. They implement a “chipper day” program to help residents dispose of cleared vegetation and they also teach and practice evacuation drills.
Learn more about the group, their Firewise Action Plan and Risk Assessment here
The Whitethorn Fire Safe Council was initiated in the summer of 2021 by the Whitethorn Volunteer Fire Department to help prepare the community for wildfires and other emergencies. Priority projects include developing a Nest program for 14 neighborhoods, updating the fire maps, and upgrading the WVFD communication systems. A community questionnaire was created to assist with gathering data
for both the maps and the NESTs, and grants are being pursued for the communications needs. An all-new website (Whitethorn Fire.org) promotes the education and outreach efforts of the WFSC.
WFSC meets on the 2nd Tuesday at 5:30 pm, in person at the Whitethorn fire station.
For more information contact
[email protected]