The Firebreak
The Newsletter of the Olivenhain Fire Safe Council
December 2022
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From the President
It’s hard to believe that 2022 is almost over, and the holidays are upon us. Although it’s something of a cliché to say it, the year truly has flown by. There are still many things the Olivenhain Fire Safe Council board would like to accomplish, but at the same time we’ve made significant progress over the past 12 months. (See article below.)
One of the biggest pieces of news affecting Olivenhain and our efforts to enhance our community’s wildfire preparedness, prevention and resilience recently took place in City Hall. Fire chief Mike Stein retired last month, and Josh Gordon has been named the new chief. Chief Gordon grew up in Encinitas, and he has family ties to Olivenhain dating back to the original settlers in 1885. I’ve been in touch with him, and the OFSC board will be meeting with him to share ideas, tell him about our plans and express concerns, so please email me with anything you’d like us to bring up. All of us are very much looking forward to working with him.
Our new councilmember, Bruce Ehlers, is a longtime Olivenhain resident, and we are looking forward to working with him as well as we continue to address the fire safety issues in Olivenhain (and a lot more, of course).
Cal Fire has just released its first updated maps for fire hazard severity zones, seeking public comment. This initial revision, the first since 2007, only includes California’s unincorporated rural areas where wildfires tend to be frequent—so-called State Responsibility Areas. So the maps don’t include cities or large urban areas yet, which means here in Olivenhain we’ll have to wait for a future release of the maps for our area, which is considered a Local Responsibility Area. We’ll update you as soon as we have more information so you can weigh in on the new maps. (As a reminder, much of Olivenhain is currently in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, and that isn’t expected to change with the new maps.) For more information on the Fire Hazard Severity Zones, click here.
In the coming year, our priorities will include launching our Neighborhood Ambassador program, which will create a cadre of point people in different neighborhoods to act as liaisons between the OFSC and their neighbors. The philosophy behind the program is "neighbors helping neighbors" and "we are our own first responders," and if you'd like to take on this role in your neighborhood, please contact me. In addition, we are especially prioritizing the creation of our Community Wildfire Protection Plan, or CWPP, and we will need community members to share their concerns and ideas for possible solutions. We’re also hoping to reschedule the Last Chance Survival Simulation Workshop that was canceled last year, and we are exploring topics for webinars and other educational programs. If you’d like to be involved, we still have a couple of board openings and are always interested in fresh ideas and extra pairs of hands.
And finally, although we’re an all-volunteer organization, we do have overhead and ongoing expenses (the Constant Contact account to send this newsletter is just one example), so if you’re in a position to invest in the wellbeing of Olivenhain by donating to keep our work going, we’d be most grateful. (See information under “Support” below.)
Happy holidays, stay safe and we’ll see you in January!
—Sarah Lifton
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Looking Back on 2022
- OFSC started 2022 out with an all-day workshop in the Meeting Hall, presented by the Fire Safe Council of San Diego County, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service. The workshop, titled Fire Operations in the Wildland-Urban Interface, presented an overview of fire behavior and how firefighters weigh their options for protecting lives and structures, based on the extent to which the structures have been hardened and defensible space has been maintained. The workshop also featured field trips to two homes in the area, where the attendees applied what they’d learned to real-world situations.
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In March, we offered a webinar on the insurance affordability crisis, presented by Joel Laucher, former deputy commissioner in the California Department of Insurance and currently a consultant for United Policyholders. The webinar, which was very well received, was recorded and is available on our YouTube channel.
- In May, we held our second Wildfire Preparedness Fair at the Meeting Hall, which was considerably expanded over the previous year’s fair. In addition to the Encinitas Fire Department, we hosted the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Humane Society, Red Cross, SDG&E, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, the Nature Collective, United Policyholders, home hardening consultant Danny Glessner, All-Risk Shield and local realtor Shelley Linde. A new feature this year was a series of presentations, on evacuation, presented by the Sheriff’s Department; preparedness with animals, presented by San Diego Humane Society; and firewise landscaping with native plants, presented by landscape designer Greg Rubin.
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In partnership with the Encinitas Fire Department, we produced a grant-funded evacuation brochure that was mailed to every residential address in Olivenhain.
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When the fire department organized three informational sessions in June and July about the new Fitch evacuation report, we were present at each session and addressed the audiences. We likewise took part in the fire department’s two workshops on home hardening and defensible space, which took place in July and August.
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Our board sent an email to county supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer asking for her support for a regional, interjurisdictional evacuation plan that takes into account the co-evacuating communities that will use Rancho Santa Fe Road in case of a wildfire evacuation. We received notice that Supervisor Lawson-Remer sent a letter of support to the Unified Disaster Council (UDC), which has introduced an item to allow for further coordination and planning around a multi-jurisdictional mitigation and hazard plan.
- We started the process for gaining 501(c)3 nonprofit status.
- We began laying the foundation for the Neighborhood Ambassadors program, including recruiting ambassadors, in preparation for launching the program in January.
- On November 17, we had a booth at the Olivenhain Town Council’s Arts and Crafts Fair, where we engaged with attendees and handed out new swag items, including pens, sticky notes and flashlights. If you missed us there, we'll be at other events in the coming year and can get your swag at those.
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We don't have any events or activities planned for the immediate future. But watch this space in 2023 as we fill out our calendar. | | | |
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The same festivities that make the holidays so compelling can also be a fire hazard. More than a third of home decoration fires are started by candles, and more than one in five Christmas tree fires starts from a heat source too close to the tree. Vigilance and common sense can go a long way toward mitigating the danger. So can taking the following precautions.
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Place any candles in sturdy candleholders that will not tip over, and keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn. Never leave candles unattended, and consider using battery-operated flameless candles. Source: U.S. Fire Administration
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Make sure your tree is at least five feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, space heaters, etc. and place it away from exits. Water your live tree daily to prevent it from drying out. Source: U.S. Fire Administration
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When you’re preparing holiday feasts, keep flammable items such as grocery bags and kitchen towels away from the stove and oven. Clean up greasy spills as you go to remove another fire hazard. If you’re deep-frying a turkey, keep the fryer well away from structures and trees, make sure your turkey is fully thawed, don’t overfill your fryer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Source: American Red Cross
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If you decide to light a fire in your fireplace, be sure to keep “fuel,” whether wrapping paper, rugs or clothing, at least three feet away from the flames. Use a fire screen to keep embers and logs from escaping. Make sure all embers are fully extinguished before you turn in for the night. Don’t light a fire if you’re hanging stockings from the mantel. Source: American Red Cross
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Inspect holiday lights for pinched or frayed wires, and toss any that are damaged. Don’t link more than three strands of lights. Turn off your holiday lights when you go to bed or leave your home. Source: U.S. Fire Administration
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Only use decorations that are flame-retardant or not flammable. Source: U.S. Fire Administration
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Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords don’t get damaged. Source: NFPA
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Get rid of your tree after Christmas, or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in the home or garage or placed outside against a structure. Source: NFPA
And remember all fireworks are illegal in Encinitas, so don’t even think about setting off fireworks on New Year’s Eve!
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There are many ways you can help make our community safer from wildfire by becoming an Olivenhain Fire Safe Council volunteer. Bring your ideas, talents, skills and connections!
Opportunities include:
EVENTS AND PROGRAMS: Brainstorm with us to create, plan, set up and staff events.
FUNDRAISING: Help with outreach to businesses and neighbors. Identify grant opportunities, promote employer matches, develop and assist with fundraising events.
NEIGHBORHOOD AMBASSADORS: Be the point person in your neighborhood to identify unique needs and vulnerable residents and keep your neighbors informed in the event of a wildfire or other emergency. If you live in a community with an HOA, leverage the HOA structure to make your community safer through structure hardening and defensible space projects.
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS: Do you have special skills and knowledge of relevant industries? We could use your help when there is a need for information, services or referrals (e.g. , insurance agents, lawyers, accountants/bookkeepers, Realtors, contractors, tradespeople, handymen, videographers, writers, PR professionals, artists, graphic designers, etc.).
OTHER IDEAS? Let us know!
Click here to find out more or sign up as a volunteer.
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The Olivenhain Fire Safe Council relies on donations to carry out its mission of enhancing fire prevention, safety and preparedness for all residents, through ongoing outreach, education and collaborative interventions, projects and activities. Help us build capacity by making a generous contribution. Make checks payable to Olivenhain Fire Safe Council and mail to Olivenhain Fire Safe Council, 2240 Encinitas Blvd., Ste. D, #165, Encinitas, CA 92024. Zelle and Paypal options will be available soon. | |
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Join our email list (scroll down on page for signup form).
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