I sat down to talk fire safety with LizAnne Jensen and Ed Hayes of the Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz in the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) of Santa Cruz County. LizAnne and Ed are volunteers, helping to spread the word about how homeowners can better prepare for wild fires. Both of them live neighborhoods that are heavily forested and have had brushes with wildfires in the past. We covered a number of topics:

What can I do now to plan ahead for a wildland fire? What is the wildland-urban interface (WUI?) What is a resilient forest, and why does it matter? What impact will a changing climate have on wildfires here in Santa Cruz County? What is a defensible space? What is home hardening? What can I do to make my home safer from wildfires? What can my neighborhood do to become safer from wildfires? Why should I attend one of the Fire Safe Council’s Home Hardening presentations? What can I do if my home owner’s insurance is canceled? What “special” items do I want in my Go Bag if I have to evacuate? What can I do to get ready if a fire is threatening, but I don’t yet have to evacuate? What should I do if I have to evacuate? Why should I do an Evacuation Drill? Why should I sign up for mailings from the Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County?

See also: Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County web site, Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County Facebook Page