By DeeAnn Schuttish, Designer and Owner, Green Life Studios and Cheryl Miller, Executive Director, Diablo Fire Safe Council
Home on Fire
For many people, working and living in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties means learning to live with wildfires. While we cannot stop the next wildfire, we can prepare to reduce potential damage and speed recovery by bringing together residents, agencies and resources. Contractors: Do you know how to capitalize on this business opportunity and help your community at the same time?
Landscape Contractors – The New Firefighters
Many homeowners throughout the East Bay will be notified that they are in a “Priority Hazard Zone,” and at risk for a wildland-urban interface fire that could destroy their homes. Homeowners frequently look to landscape contractors who can do the work required to reduce their risk.
Contractor Workshops
In 2006, the State Fire Marshal developed new defensible space standards. In conjunction with local fire agencies, the Diablo Fire Safe Council (DFSC) offers a two-part workshop to provide contractors training in how to do the work to meet the standards in various fire districts. The training includes 2 hours of classroom instruction, and 3 hours of supervised, hands-on fieldwork. The 2-hour morning session covers wildland fire basics, background and important features of the defensible space standards. Contractors that complete the training receive a certificate of attendance and are added to the participating fire agencies referral lists. The first training was held March 18th at Rossmoor, Walnut Creek. A second training is in the early planning stage and targeted for late May-early June.
Burned Baby Bear
Federal Funds for Defensible Space
Later this fire season, DFSC will roll out a program of defensible space fuel reduction projects in Contra Costa County funded by a generous grant from the US Forest Service. The program will provide cost-share assistance to groups or individuals to reduce fuel loads and create defensible space on their property. Emphasis will be on areas prioritized in the Contra Costa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan or where homeowners associations, civic organizations and other groups are organized and available to promote fire safe efforts. DFSC will be looking to hire landscape contractors who are qualified to do this work. We anticipate distributing to local contractors a call for qualifications/ bids in early May. This program is funded for both summer 2010 and 2011.
More Information
DFSC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to reduce the impact of wildland fire in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. For more information, see DFSC’s website at www.diablofiresafe.org or contact Cheryl Miller at (510) 536-0143.
