Community Fire Watch Network
Dry, hot weather and strong Santa Ana winds are the prime ingredients for catastrophic wildfires. Gentle winter rains that bring vibrant flowers and green hillsides also result in an explosion of mustard and other non-native plants, which dry out in the heat of summer and increase the threat of fire. The prolonged drought experienced in the region has made the fire danger even worse. According to the National Weather Service and CalFire, Southern California now faces Fire Season all year round.
Frequent wildfires are devastating to people, property and rare habitats throughout the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. As part of a comprehensive effort to prevent wildfires, the Irvine Ranch Conservancy in partnership with the Orange County Fire Authority and the InterCanyon League and Greater Laguna Fire Safe Councils, conducts a Fire Watch network during extreme fire danger conditions. These usually occur from October through February and coincide with Santa Ana wind season –but extreme fire danger may happen at any time. Hundreds of community volunteers station themselves at strategic locations around the land to deter arsonists, prevent accidental ignition and spot fires quickly.
To learn more about or become trained as a Fire Watch volunteer, click here.
The ultimate goal is to provide a high level of community visibility on Santa Ana wind days and Red Flag days. Together, as a community, we must deter risky and dangerous behavior in areas identified by the Fire Authority as "high risk" and "high probability zones".
Fire ignition prevention and community involvement are the keys to saving property, money, the rare ecosystems and most important of all, human lives. The risk of too-frequent wildfires is probably the greatest long term threat to the rare and globally-endangered ecosystems on the historic Irvine Ranch. In addition, fire has long been a major threat to neighborhoods that are built close to nature. By being prepared and working together as a community, we greatly increase our chances of protecting lives and property; and we help ensure that our special natural areas will be healthy for generations to come.
As the high wind season nears, it is critical for land managers, homeowners associations and people living near wildlands to come together to prevent wildfires. If your HOA borders the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and would like to partner in this critically important cause, please join us.