By Katy Penland

The lack of public participation at the FireSafe Council’s public meeting held at Cuddy Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 14 was as notable as the excellent advice and fire preparedness handouts made available. There was quite an expanse of empty chairs.

Of the 14 people in attendance, only six were “general audience.” The other eight were active and retired firefighters, FireSafe Council members and a U.S. Forest Service employee.

The evening’s speaker, Bill Thomas, a firefighter-paramedic and rotating Public Information Officer with the Ventura County Fire Department, was introduced by Janine Tominaga, President of the Mt. Pinos Communities FireSafe Council. When Thomas asked, “How many people here know how to turn their gas [propane] off?” all hands shot up. When he asked how many had the proper tool to do it, again everybody’s hands went up. Thomas then quipped, “Are any unprepared people coming tonight?” After the laughter subsided, an audience member replied, “The empty chairs are the unprepared people.”

The Day fire was a wake-up call in 2006. A full 85 percent of the Mountain Communities residents evacuated. It will happen again, was the message of the evening.

“There’s no question if we’re going to have a fire, but when,” Thomas warned. “Longer, hotter, drier summers, no rain, temps relatively higher, humidity and plant moisture levels lower” are all contributing to year-round fire conditions.

It is surprising to some to learn that in California (unlike some other states) we have the legal right to refuse evacuation and to “stay and defend” if we choose. But, as Thomas advised, we’d better make sure our homes are defensible—outside and inside—and that we have a plan in place to do so.

Even more surprising was that 80 percent of all homes lost to wildfires could have been saved if residents had done their “homework” by creating a defensible perimeter around their property.

For property- and life-saving tips on how to prepare your home to be as fire resistant as possible, watch the November issue of The Mountain Pioneer and upcoming issues of The Mountain Enterprise.

The next FireSafe Council Meeting is on Friday, Nov. 21, at 9:30 a.m. at the USFS Chuchupate Station in Lockwood Valley.

This is part of the October 24, 2008 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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