And when batteries die, there is still paper. WebTo park in a yellow curb zone for up to 20 minutes, drivers must have either a City of Berkeley Business Decal, a marked vehicle with logos and lettering or commercial plates issued by the DMV. Fire officials reminded meeting attendees about the citys fire fuel chipper and debris bin programs, designed to help community members dispose of plant materials. WebThe Berkeley Fire Department currently has seven fire stations, housing seven engine companies, two truck companies, and three ambulances. A. Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties used Zonehaven, to different extents, during the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire and the post-fire debris flow hazards. Receive periodic safety tips on numerous disasters by texting the type of event (blackout, earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, or tornado) to 43362. Call BFD at 510-981-5589 or email [email protected]. WebBerkeley requires that buildings in certain hillside zones use materials and construction methods that will make them resistant to wildfire. In July, BFD is going digital with its property inspections, resulting in online inspection reports once new software is up and running. There may be overlap between AC Alert and Nixle messages, but warnings for life-threatening situations will come first via AC Alert. Save the water for the firefighters.). Do defensible space regulations apply to my property? Ask your former broker for suggestions, including whether additional wildfire prevention work might help keep your coverage. Yet this narrow range of weather conditions is when the most destructive fires happen. Every burning building is fuel for a fire, making it hotter and stronger. Local agencies can also create stricter regulations than state authorities. All fires are different. He spent seven of those years at Station 7 in the Berkeley Hills. If your insurance company didnt give you a 75-day notice before cancellation, or if you dont understand why you were dropped, contact the California Department of Insurance at 800-927-HELP. Fire prevention experts in Berkeley often point to the citys destructive 1923 fire, which started east of the hills in open space but roared into downtown, to Shattuck Avenue. If you can save five minutes, you can save lives; if you can save an hour, you can save lives. Its beautiful, but we know it comes with risks. Chin repeatedly emphasized that hillside residents must not wait until wildfire strikes to take action. Arrival points can be a temporary evacuation place or longer term. Am I legally required to evacuate? Area Map - Google Maps. How do distant fires cause pollution in the Bay Area? We are ready, Berlant said during the Padilla event last week. 0000522594 00000 n Recreation. Terms and conditions for the use of this DrLamb.com web site are found via the LEGAL link on the homepage of this site. Never let your coverage lapse because it opens a window when many companies cancel or refuse to renew. The Alameda County contract with Zonehaven is funded through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA). The primary wildfire threat to the inner East Bay comes from the open space of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and East Bay Municipal Water District (EBMUD) to the east. In the language of emergency planning, the place people are directed to during an evacuation is called an arrival point. Aim for replacement coverage, versus cash value, which wont pay you the actual costs of rebuilding and replacing, just depreciated value. For Red Flag Warnings, we send notifications via email and text message. Many were left with nothing but bank accounts, if they had them, and reliance on family and friends. The Berkeley Fire Department has proudly served the Berkeley community since 1904 and continues to build a strong bond with the people we serve. The department aims to be recognized as a leader that responds effectively with well-trained and compassionate professionals. Streets, Sidewalks, Sewers, and Utilities, Emergency Access and Evacuation Network map, high quality, durable map that includes footpaths, video guide to making a household fire weather plan, Wildfire Evacuation Checklist Large Print, Berkeley Emergency Access and Evacuation Network Map, Give feedback on draft plan to reduce wildfire risks, Federal grants, loans available to those affected by January storms, Help develop an Action Plan to reduce wildfire hazards and risks, Sign up for AC Alert to get official emergency information. They question the sufficiency of evacuation planning. The image illustrating defensible space in the property section of this guide is adapted from the Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide (publication #SP-20-11) with permission from University of Nevada, Reno Extension and the Living With Fire Program. (Emergency alerts such as evacuation orders and Extreme Fire Weather warnings are sent out by all means available text, phone, email, social media, push alert. Be ready to leave the hills when the Berkeley Fire Department proclaimsExtreme Fire Weatherdue to forecasted low humidity and high winds. If those things go down, there are things that dont work anymore. Its going to be our blueprint for hazard mitigation in Berkeleys very high-severity fire zones, as well as the rest of the city, said Pinto, who is heading up BFDs new WUI division. A. Zonehaven maps include arrival points, which may change quickly depending on the incident. What should I do if I get trapped during a fire? Information overload can be an issue as you plan for emergencies. Sources used in compiling this guide: CalFire, Berkeley Fire Department, Oakland Fire Department, FEMA, Alameda County Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service, National Interagency Fire Center, National Wildfire Coordinating Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Centers for Disease Control, Pacific Gas & Electric, East Bay Municipal Utility District, East Bay Regional Park District, California Fire Safe Council, Governors Office of Emergency Services, Community Emergency Alert Teams, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, University of California Cooperative Extension, Oakland Animal Services, Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network, Hills Emergency Forum, Alameda County Office of Emergency Services, Oakland Firesafe Council, Diablo Firesafe Council, FIRESafe Marin, Public Health Institute, California Air Resources Board, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, American Red Cross, Kaiser Permanente, Mask Oakland, Zonehaven, ALERTWildfire, City of Mill Valley, City of Ross. There are currently 130 sworn fire suppression personnel. Whats being done to reduce the risk of wildfires in Berkeley? What do I need to know about wildfire smoke? Residents of affected zones are alerted using a variety of means, including the county alert system (AC Alert), Nixle local alerts, social media such as Twitter and Facebook, and old-fashioned door-to-door warnings. If youre a homeowner in the hills, heres what you should do now: Insurance companies have to give you a 75 day-notice of cancellation under state law. How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? As risks for wildfire increase, so too does legislation to address the consequences. WebBerkeley Heights, NJ 07922 Phone: 908-464-2700 Online: Email Regular Hours Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m FEMA Flood Hazard Zone Maps FEMA Flood Hazard Zone Maps. Recent developments include Alameda Countys adoption of Zonehaven evacuation software, the growing expanse of Alert Wildfires camera network, state legislation enforcing defensible space regulations in high fire zones, the push to educate the public about warning systems such as AC Alert and Nixle and siren systems that operate when power is out existing in Oakland and in development in Berkeley. Defensible space is a term thats become commonplace with the increased risk of wildfires. But we really need the public to do the same., Its #WildfireWednesday! Were a little late.. In October 1991, gusting dry winds spread a firestorm through 2.5 square miles of mostly residential neighborhoods, destroying nearly 3,500 homes and apartment units in what would be known as the Oakland firestorm. 0000362692 00000 n Concern over wildfire response led a group of Oakland and Berkeley residents to launch an effort to form a new East Bay Hills Wildland Fire Joint Powers Authority, which is currently in the planning stage. During a fire, emergency responders will use this portal to post real-time, zone-specific evacuation warnings and orders. A. trailer 0000522234 00000 n For more details on Berkeleys wildland-urban interface property inspections, read a mailer from Fire Chief Abe Roman, check Berkeley Fires wildland fire information page, call the department at 510-981-3473, or email [email protected]. Make a plan with your household ahead of time for what you will do during fire weather. DAVID GOINES: Remembering an iconic printmaker | CULTURE WAR: Hopkins bike lane | SNOW! The warnings on the map are advisories, not real-time emergency alerts. We have to take ownership ourselves of that risk. But it does not eliminate risk entirely. Credit: Zonehaven Update, June 15, 8:30 a.m. A map of the area showing the fire zones is available here. How can I monitor air quality in my neighborhood? Fires that spread under Extreme Fire Weather conditions can quickly become catastrophic. The image illustrating defensible space in the property section of this guide is adapted from the Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide (publication #SP-20-11) with permission from University of Nevada, Reno Extension and the Living With Fire Program. Text shelter and your zipcode to receive a list of emergency shelters near you. 0000001157 00000 n Businesses are located in zones, as well. Look up your evacuation zone now and write it down. An evacuation zone is a portion of the community that has been sliced out to most effectively call for and manage evacuation, Crocker said. Choose at least two routes by foot and two routes by car. Chin also encouraged attendees to sign up for disaster preparedness training updates via the citys Community Emergency Response Team. For an in-depth explanation of these terms,watch our video about fire weather. And, on top of that, climate change is definitely here. My fire insurance was canceled. American Red Cross (apps, map): The nonprofit American Red Cross offers a variety of free apps to help with emergency preparation and response, including a first aid app, a pet first aid app and a severe weather emergency app that lets you monitor emergency alerts, locally and far away. Theyre usually packed together a behind-the-scenes program for emergency planners and a public-facing program for residents. Your continued use of this site indicates your acceptance of the terms and conditions specified. Federal Emergency Management Administration (app, text): FEMA sends real-time extreme weather alerts from the National Weather Service via app or text message. It really does seem like fire season is upon us.. Talk to friends and family who you might be able to stay with, or consider putting aside money to stay in a hotel. This is easier for some people to manage financially than others. Her work as a journalist has encompassed everything from 10 years as a daily news reporter for the East Bay Times, Payments. Given the current drought and many cities asking to conserve water, I would not recommend the installation of sprinklers. There are no restrictions on the distribution of the maps by users. All Berkeley residents, indeed, all Alameda County residents, will live in a zone identified by a number. Consider purchasing a copy for your go-bag and highlighting potential routes in advance. Want to know more about Firewise? Factors such as weather, season, humidity, wind speeds and directions, topography, vegetation, historical climate trends, land use and human activity all play into predicting fire risk. Evacuation management is a completely new sport, said Crocker of Zonehaven. Nearly 6,000 of the 8,600 parcels have already passed inspection. Thats why weve compared information and vetted sources for you, with the aim of providing only credible and recent information from trusted sources. An interactive map displays the parcel number and zoning for adjacent parcels. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic, Know your zone. That fire destroyed 580 homes with an unknown number of deaths. To access: Sign up for warnings on the AC Alert website or by downloading the Everbridge app. A. Zonehaven has two products, Evac and Aware. The concepts of home hardening and defensible space overlap to cover practices that can reduce wildfire damage to your entire property, the structures and the land. This is different from many surrounding communities outside of the fog belt, which face months-long continual extreme fire danger. BFD is also helping neighborhoods build up their own resilience through a national program called Firewise and working to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to determine where to focus efforts first. Replacing all wood materials such as roofs, siding and decks, fences, and gates with fire-retardant or noncombustible options: composite, cement, metal, clay, tile, fire-treated wood. From a DWA, call 911 (510-642-3333 via cell) for assistance. For renters, most of the same advice on wildfire preparation applies to you, such as preparing a go bag, signing up for emergency alerts, and having an evacuation plan. The plan will be tailored to Berkeleys specific needs and conditions, said Assistant Berkeley Fire Chief Chris Pinto. People often point to a 1923 Berkeley fire that started in Wildcat Canyon, and spread as far as Shattuck Avenue, downtown, as evidence of just how far downhill wildfires can travel. Freelancer Catherine "Kate" Rauch has been contributing to Berkeleyside for several years. Should I use sprinklers or hose down my yard or deck during a fire? Clearing brush and trees 10 feet back from roadways and ensuring fire access roads are not obstructed. Once again, the recommendation is creating or maintaining a defensible space. Evac has more detailed information and resources for agency planners. Trimming trees for 10 feet of clearance from other trees and from your chimney. Original post, June 1: If Berkeley police and fire get their way, city residents will soon have another number etched in their memory cells, along with phone, address and date of birth. Some legal-watchers expect more regulations around home hardening or making your home less vulnerable to fire in the future, though funding for this will be challenging. AC Alert (app, text, email, phone, push alert, social media): AC Alert is Alameda Countys emergency warning system for life-threatening situations such as an order to evacuate. Via AC Alert website or by downloading the Everbridge app as a leader that responds effectively with well-trained compassionate. Evacuation is called an arrival point well-trained and compassionate professionals cash value, which face months-long Extreme... Can also create stricter regulations than state authorities hillside zones use materials and construction methods that will make them to! A leader that responds effectively with well-trained and compassionate professionals ourselves of that, climate change is definitely here emergency... Of providing only credible and recent information from trusted sources FEMA ) providing credible! 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