Ojai Community Builds Wildfire Resilience
Best Practices Federal Emergency Management Agency / Region IX February 2019 Disaster Mitigation Working in California Ojai Community Builds Wildfire Resilience Ventura County, CA Since its founding in 1874 the beautiful town of Ojai, ringed by rugged mountains and steep chaparral-covered can- yons, has been threatened with de- struction at least nine times. The Wheeler and Day Fires in 1985 and 2006 burned over 280,000 acres and destroyed homes and other struc- tures near the town. The Ojai com- munity placed a bronze plaque to express gratitude for the heroism of firefighters who successfully battled the Wheeler Fire during extremely dangerous conditions. years; developed high-quality years of Ojai Valley preparation Those experiences brought an online resources; and built strong and planning. Extremely hot, dry awareness of vulnerability, along effective partnerships with the and windy conditions caused that with a determination to become a USDA Forest Service, Ventura fire to grow and move with incredi- wildfire resilient community. Ojai County Fire Protection District, ble speed. Readiness and detailed Valley residents realized that aware- City of Ojai, County of Ventura, evacuations plans were critically ness and vigilance alone would not Ventura County Sheriff Depart- important, since the two-lane coun- suffice. To develop a plan of action ment, Ventura County Resource ty egress roads can be overwhelmed a group of fire professionals, educa- Conservation District and others. by traffic. Fortunately, the wind tors, insurance experts, homeowner direction during the Thomas Fire associations and others formed the The board of directors and adviso- spared the City of Ojai the fate of Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council ry council have been able to effec- Paradise, California, but this lesson (OVFSC), a nonprofit organization tively engage and coordinate with has not been lost on the Ojai Valley dedicated to promoting wildfire other agencies, organizations, vol- community.
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