News and Notes
East Bay Resident Makes Fire Prevention a Passion
May 20, 2021
OAKLAND (KPIX) — An Bay Area resident who has been a fire prevention activist since she lost her home in the Oakland Hills firestorm 30 years ago, Sue Piper is passionate about disaster preparedness. The Gateway Preparedness Exhibit Center educates people on […]
OFSC Raises Serious Concerns about Wildfire Section of Oakland’s Draft Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
May 8, 2021
In a letter to members of Oakland’s Public Safety Committee which will hear a report on the draft Local Hazard Mitigation Plan on May 11,2021, the Oakland Firesafe Council (OFSC) raised concerns about the process and the content of the […]
OFSC Seeks Exemptions for ADUs in WUI All Along Evacuation Route
April 23, 2021
The Oakland Firesafe Council, along with Make El Cerrito Firesafe, sent letters to State legislators today about bills dealing with addressing rezoning to allow for accessory dwelling units and increased density to address the affordable housing crisis in the state. […]
Major Die Off of Trees in East Bay Increases Fire Risk
April 15, 2021
By John Brega, Oakland Wildland Steward and Adopt-a-Spot Volunteer The year 2020 saw a massive die-off of many kinds of trees and shrubs in the East Bay hills, the Bay Area in general, and throughout much of coastal Northern California. […]
“How Will We Manage East Bay Wildfire Risk?
April 5, 2021
From California Native Plant Society: While 2020 is a year most of us would just as soon forget, as long as the climate keeps warming, the risk of large wildfires will continue as part of the “new abnormal.” How we […]
Stanford Symposium Focuses on Wildfire in the West
March 31, 2021
The State of the West symposium is a gathering at Stanford to take stock of the economic and fiscal health of the Western region. It features academic researchers, business and investment practitioners, and other stakeholders concerned with the well-being of […]
OCP&R’s First Two Years a Success
March 26, 2021
Our outreach program– Oakland Community Preparedness & Response (OCP&R) just released it’s final report to CalFire, from whom it received $125,000 to launch this successful emergency preparedness education and outreach program. Click here for the report.
How to Survive the Insurance Crisis
March 26, 2021
If you missed United Policyholder’s recent webinar on keeping your assets insured and how to navigate a difficult insurance market, or would like to review it again, you can watch it here You can download the PowerPoint slides for this March […]
Efforts to increase affordable housing through zoning changes need to consider impact on emergency evacuations
March 4, 2021
The Oakland Firesafe Council recently sent a letter to our state legislators, as well as county and city elected officials, urging them to exempt zoned areas in the very high fire hazard severity zones from changes in single family zoning […]
NFPA’s Outthink Wildfire™ focuses on new ways of looking at wildfire policy
February 23, 2021
Check out the recording of the National Fire Protection Association’s new initiative aimed at significantly lowering community wildfire risk by 2050.
OFSC Supports Wildfire Prevention Funding
February 20, 2021
This week, the Oakland Firesafe Council sent letters to State legislators in support of funding for wildfire prevention–with the recommendation that our state officials ensure that funding includes communities in Local Responsibility Areas (like Oakland) and not just those in […]
State to establish new home hardening standards for insurance
February 11, 2021
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced a new partnership between the California Department of Insurance and Governor Gavin Newsom’s Administration, including the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), […]