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Serving the communities of Castle Creek, Champagne Village, Deer Springs, Hidden Meadows,

Jesmond Dene, Rimrock, The Welk Resort, and West Lilac Since 2004 Fire Safety News

June 23, 2021

Wildfire Preparedness and Evacuation

This is the first issue of 8 issues that will be sent each day for the next week to focus on preparation and evacuation. The articles are short but the topics can be difficult and the messages blunt. We are not offering specific advice. We cannot because every resident, property and wildfire is different. We are including links to authoritative sources that can guide you in creating your own plan to deal with wildfire and evacuation when they come, and they will.

The Deer Springs Fire Protection District (DSFPD or "the District") provides fire protection and emergency medical services for more than 13,000 residents living at nearly 4,000 addresses in a 47 square mile portion of 's north county [map]. The District is approximately 12 miles long and spans approximately 7 miles at its widest point. Most of the district is rated as moderate to severe wildfire hazard area by CAL FIRE's Fire and Resource Assessment Program [map].

Fire Safe Councils are community-led organizations that mobilize residents to make their neighborhoods more fire safe. There are nearly 150 Fire Safe Councils in with 47 here in San Diego County. The Deer Springs Fire Safe Council (DSFSC) was formed after the Cedar and Paradise fires of 2004 to serve the residents of the District. The mission of the Council is "to preserve our natural and man made resources by mobilizing all residents to make their homes and neighborhoods fire safe." This goal and our efforts to pursue it have never been more important than now with the "new normal" of changing weather patterns and extreme fire behavior. DSFSC prepared The 2020 Deer Springs Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) that provides an overview of the District, its vulnerabilities, evacuation routes, and efforts to make the District more fire safe. It may be found here.

If you are a District resident, you live in the WUI: the Wildland-Urban Interface. The WUI is where people's lives and the wildland meet and blend. It is generally not a well-defined line on a map but, rather, an area or zone that is dependent on several factors including housing density, population, and topography. It is the area most prone to destruction by wildfire and it is estimated that one-third of homes in San Diego County are located in the WUI [map].

If you are not right on the chaparral's edge, you could still face a fire threat. Wind can carry embers long distances. If you are within a mile of native vegetation, you are in the so-called "ember zone." Even those living on a city lot could experience a "spot" fire under the right conditions and presence of combustible material on a patio, for instance. Rigorous analysis of events during the that decimated the Sierra foothill communities of Paradise, Concow, and Magalia in November 2018 determined that some of the spot fires were caused by embers that traveled nearly 4 miles ahead of the main fire in the 50 MPH winds.

There is no longer a "fire season" as we once knew it. Fires are occurring with increased frequency throughout the year. That is not to say that major fires have not occurred historically in our area in the winter. The Gavilan Fire (Fallbrook), driven by 50 MPH winds, burned 5,000 acres and destroyed more than 30 homes in February 2002. That year was marked by Southern California receiving less than one-third of our normal rainfall - not very different than today's drought conditions.

The District has not been the scene of a major wildfire (greater than 100 acres) in more than 50 years. It has, however been directly affected by wildfire both in 2004 and 2007. The Paradise Fire (Valley Center) had entered the eastern border of Daley Ranch and the order was given to put the east end of Hidden Meadows and the North Broadway area on evacuation standby. Thankfully, a wind shift made evacuation unnecessary. In 2007, the Poomacha Fire was driving westward into Valley Center from the Rincon area and evacuation of the District was ordered. Fire crews managed to blunt the attack in eastern Valley Center saving countless homes and the fire never advanced into the District. That could change with the next "big one."

All of us living in the WUI need to plan ahead for that next wildfire whether it be the big one or a few acres that threatens a handful of homes. Firefighters train and prepare. Residents must do the same to their level of ability. We must be prepared to act on our own if we need to. The most important factor in wildfire survival is you and it is imperative that you take responsibility for preparing yourself, your family, and your property.

Our next seven issues of Fire Safety News will be sent daily and will offer some food for thought as well as links to information that will help you prepare for wildfire.

Tomorrow—Planning for wildfire

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING TO OR JOINING US The Fire Safety News is a service of the Deer Springs Fire Safe Council, which is supported by donations from the community. All members of the Council are dedicated volunteers and are not compensated. The Council is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) community service organization, which means your monetary contributions are tax-deductible. You can donate to the council directly through the council's website. Open our site and just click on the “DONATE” button:

http://dsfsc.org

Or you can mail your donation to:

DEER SPRINGS FIRE SAFE COUNCIL P.O. BOX 460097 ESCONDIDO, CA 92046-0097

If you have an interest in fire safety and a desire to become involved with your community to promote fire safety, please contact us. We are always looking for new members who desire to donate a bit of time and talent to the cause.

Helpful phone numbers Deer Springs Fire Stations

Immediate Emergency Assistance: 911 Station 11 8709 Circle R Drive San Diego Sheriff Non-emergency dispatch Escondido, CA 92026 (858) 565-5200 760-749-8001

Alert San Diego (cell phone alerts): Station 12 http://www.readysandiego.org/alertsandieg 1321 Deer Springs Road o/ San Marcos, CA 92069 760-741-5512 Emergency & Non-Emergency County Information Hotline (road closures, shelter Station 13 locations, evacuation sites, fire related 10308 Meadow Glen Way East information, recovery assistance and more): Escondido, CA 92026 211 760-751-0820

San Diego Animal Services Emergency Dispatch: 619-236-2341

Deer Springs Fire Safe Council Informational Hot Line: 949-472-1401

We gratefully acknowledge …

This newsletter is made possible, in part, by grants from the CAL FIRE California Climate Investment Fire Prevention Program, the Deer Springs Fire Protection District, San Diego Gas & Electric, and you, our readers.

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of our sponsors and cooperators. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the Deer Springs Fire Safe Council, its sponsors or cooperators.

The Deer Springs Fire Safe Council is an equal opportunity provider.

All content is the product of the Deer Springs Fire Safe Council, unless otherwise specified.

Copyright © 2021 Deer Springs Fire Safe Council, Inc., All rights reserved. We received your email address when you signed up for the Deer Springs Fire Safe Council Emergency Communication System, attended a neighborhood educational seminar on fire safety, or asked the council to add you to its list

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