Burn Permits!

Burn Permit Information

CAL FIRE's Burn Restrictions and Burn Permits During certain times of the year residential landscape debris burning of dead vegetation is allowed. However, homeowners should always check with their local CAL FIRE station and local air quality management agency before burning. In many area burn permits may be required. For more information on debris burning safety download an educational fact sheet. To find out if it is a permissive burn day in your area, contact your local air quality district. Contact information may be found at the State Air Resources Board website. Burn Restrictions When the weather begins to cool down and fire danger decreases, CAL FIRE will lift burn restrictions on residential debris burning. CAL FIRE's burn restrictions only apply to State Responsibility Areas (SRA). Check with your local fire station to see if CAL FIRE's burn restrictions affect you and whether a burn permit is required. When a burn restriction is in place there is absolutely no debris burning allowed. Click HERE to see how you can protect your home with Roofsaversprinklers.com

Cal Fire Fire Protection Services

Responding to all types of emergencies on a daily basis is the job done by 90 percent of the CAL FIRE workforce.

Those emergencies take the form of wildland fires, residential/commercial structure fires, automobile accidents, heart attacks, drownings, lost hikers, hazardous material spills on highways, train wrecks, floods, earthquakes - the list is endless.

CAL FIRE firefighters, fire engines and aircraft respond to an average of more than 5,600 wildland fires, and answer the call more than 350,000 times for other emergencies each year.

CAL FIRE crews and equipment are a familiar sight throughout the State with responsibility for the protection of over 31 million acres of California's privately-owned wildlands.

In addition, they provide emergency services of all kinds within 36 of California's 58 counties through local government contracts.

The information provided on these pages depicts the challenges CAL FIRE’s dedicated, well-trained, emergency response forces face each day, and how they meet those challenges.

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Calfirfe Campaigns for Local Firewood Usage

Calfire Campaigns for Local Firewood Usage

In an effort to keep forests healthy, Calfire encourages Californians to buy their firewood locally. Teaming up with the California Task Force, Calfire began their public outreach campaign in September with the goal of informing campers, wood cutters, arborists, and the general public about the risks of using transported firewood.
Firewood transported over long distances may contain insects or pathogens that are unfamiliar to the territory where they are purchased. These life forms are invisible to the naked eye, so it is impossible to distinguish a harmless log from a potentially detrimental one. Introducing an invasive species into an environment can be very damaging, both environmentally and economically, because the environment does not have the natural defenses needed to fight off pest attack.
Calfire's campaign is taking many approaches to deterring this issue, which has increased in recent decades due to heightened globalization. By surveying campers' knowledge of invasive species in areas affected by the invasive beetle species likely introduced to San Diego County by out-of-state firewood, Calfire hopes to gain feedback that will help them target their long-term audience as effectively as possible. The campaign also includes hanging informative firewood posters in campgrounds and parks, mailing pamphlets to industry professionals, and distributing informative frisbees and playing cards to campers. 

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Hardening Your Home For Fire Season

Hardening Your Home

Flying embers destroy homes up to a mile from wildland areas. Prepare (harden) your home now before fire starts. Here are some of the things you can do to harden your home: Roof: The roof is the most vulnerable part of your home. Homes with wood or shingle roofs are at high risk of being destroyed during a wildfire. Build your roof or re-roof with materials such as composition, metal or tile. Block any spaces between roof decking and covering to prevent embers from catching. Vents: Vents on homes create openings for flying embers. Cover all vent openings with 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch metal mesh. Do not use fiberglass or plastic mesh because they can melt and burn. Protect vents in eaves or cornices with baffles to block embers. (Mesh is not enough.) Eaves and Soffits: Eaves and soffits should be protected with ignition-resistant* or non-combustible materials. Windows: Heat from a wildfire can cause windows to break even before the home ignites. This allows burning embers to enter and start fires inside. Single-paned and large windows are particularly vulnerable. Install dual-paned windows with one pane of tempered glass to reduce the chance of breakage in a fire. Consider limiting the size and number of windows that face large areas of vegetation. Walls: Wood products, such as boards, panels or shingles, are common siding materials. However, they are combustible and not good choices for fire-prone areas. Build or remodel your walls with ignition resistant* building materials, such as stucco, fiber cement, wall siding, fire retardant, treated wood, or other approved materials. Be sure to extend materials from the foundation to the roof. Decks: Surfaces within 10 feet of the building should be built with ignition-resistant*, non-combustible, or other approved materials. Ensure that all combustible items are removed from underneath your deck. Rain Gutters: Screen or enclose rain gutters to prevent accumulation of plant debris. Patio Cover: Use the same ignition resistance materials for patio coverings as a roof. Chimney: Cover your chimney and stovepipe outlets with a non-combustible screen. Use metal screen material with openings no smaller than 3/8 inch and no larger than 1/2 inch to prevent embers from escaping and igniting a fire. Garage: Have a fire extinguisher and tools such as a shovel, rake, bucket, and hoe available for fire emergencies. Install weather stripping around and under the garage door to prevent embers from blowing in. Store all combustible and flammable liquids away from ignition sources. Fences: Consider using ignition resistant or non-combustible fence materials to protect your home during a wildfire. Driveways and Access Roads: Driveways should be built and maintained in accordance with state and local codes to allow fire and emergency vehicles to reach your home. Consider maintaining access roads with a minimum of 10 feet of clearance on either side, allowing for two way traffic. Ensure that all gates open inward and are wide enough to accommodate emergency equipment. Trim trees and shrubs overhanging the road to allow emergency vehicles to pass. Address: Make sure your address is clearly visible from the road. Water Supply: Consider having multiple garden hoses that are long enough to reach all areas of your home and other structures on your property. If you have a pool or well, consider getting a pump. If you want to learn about a neat water roof system, Click HERE for Roof Savers Sprinklers.

Carbon Monoxide-This Silent Killer

Carbon Monoxide - The Silent Killer

Creeping silently through your home, there's a killer that gives no warning. This killer is carbon monoxide. An invisible and odorless gas, carbon monoxide (CO) is produced when burning any fuel, such as gasoline, propane, natural gas, oil, wood, or charcoal. It is a silent killer, which causes illness by decreasing the amount of oxygen present in the body.

Young children are especially vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide, because of their smaller bodies. Children process carbon monoxide differently than adults, may be more severely affected by it, and may show symptoms sooner.

You won't know that you have a carbon monoxide leak, without a working detector. If you burn any fuels for heat or cooking, be sure that you have a working carbon monoxide detector and deter this silent killer.

Follow some simple safety tips to help protect your family.

Top Tips for Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. The most common symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. In severe cases,the person may lose consciousness or die. CO poisoning can often be mistaken for other illnesses, such as the flu. Often, more than one person in the household will suffer symptoms at the same time. To decrease risk of CO poisoning the following tips are recommended: Install a CO alarm outside every sleeping area and on every level of your home. Place CO alarms at least 15 feet away from every fuel-burning appliance to reduce the number of nuisance alarms. Test alarms every month and replace them every five years. Make sure alarms can be heard when you test them and practice an escape plan with your entire family. Have all gas, oil or coal burning appliances inspected by a technician every year to ensure they are working correctly and are properly ventilated. Never use a stove for heating. Do not use a grill, generator or camping stove inside your home, garage or near a window. Never leave a car, SUV, or motorcycle engine running inside a garage, even if the garage door is open. CO can accumulate anywhere in or around your boat, so install a CO alarm on your motorboat. If your CO alarm goes off, follow these steps: Get everyone out of the house as quickly as possible into fresh air. Then call for help from a neighbor’s home or a cell phone outside of your home. If someone is experiencing CO poisoning symptoms, call 911 for medical attention. If no one is experiencing symptoms, call the fire department. They will let you know when it is safe to re-enter your home.

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Roofsaversprinkler and Foresthill Fire District

The Foresthill Fire Protection District (FFPD) serves the greater Foresthill area including Todd Valley, Baker Ranch, Michigan Bluff and Sugar Pine.  The district provides local advanced life support to the community following the merge with Foresthill Ambulance Service.  Fire stations located in Foresthill and in Todd Valley respond to structure and wild land fires, vehicle accidents and medical emergencies.      The District is staffed by firefighters, EMTs and Paramedics.  Our offices are located in downtown Foresthill at 24320 Main Street and are (barring emergency) open during normal business hours. The FFPD sponsors many activities, including, the Foresthill Fire Safe Council, which meets the 3rd Tuesday of the month at the district office. Fire permits are also available at the district office. The Foresthill Volunteer Firefighters supplement firefighter support for the Fire Protection District employees when complicated emergency calls require additional personnel. 

The Foresthill Volunteer Firefighter Association (FVFA) is a non-profit association, sponsoring community activities such as the 4th of July celebration, Easter egg hunt, fire boot drives, and performing fund raising events, such as the famous garage sale, Little Reno and others.  Funds obtained through fund raising and donations are used to help purchase fire equipment, fire turnouts, boots and other equipment and supplies the district can not afford.  Funds are also used to give back to the community by sponsoring school activities, community functions and special events.

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Wildland-Urban Building Code Information

Wildland-Urban Interface Building Code Information

On September 20, 2005, the California Building Standards Commission approved the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s emergency regulations amending the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 24, Part 2, known as the 2007 California Building Code (CBC).
“701A.3.2

 New Buildings Located in Any Fire Hazard Severity Zone. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas, any Local Agency Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, or any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone shall comply with one of the following:

1. State Responsibility Areas.
New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas, for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.
2. Local Agency Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
New buildings located in any Local Agency Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after July 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.
3. Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency.
New buildings located in any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.

OBJECTIVE
The broad objective of the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area Building Standards is to establish minimum standards for materials and material assemblies and provide a reasonable level of exterior wildfire exposure protection for buildings in Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas. The use of ignition resistant materials and design to resist the intrusion of flame or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire (wildfire exposure) will prove to be the most prudent effort California has made to try and mitigate the losses resulting from our repeating cycle of interface fire disasters. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) revised the mandatory effective date for those areas where local government has responsibility for wildland fire protection (LRA) to July 1, 2008, to enable local government agencies more time to review and accept the fire hazard severity zone maps that will be presented to them formally after the new year.

FHSZ MAPS
The existing FHSZ maps are being updated pursuant to Public Resources Code Sections 4201 – 4204 and Government Code Sections 51175 – 51189. CAL FIRE completed the public hearings for the adoption of Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) for those areas of California where the state has fiscal responsibility for wildland fire protection, known as State Responsibility Areas (SRA). CAL FIRE’s intent is to complete the SRA FHSZ adoption by December, 2007.

LOCAL VHFHSZ MAPS
CAL FIRE is preparing recommendations for Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) in those areas where local government agencies have Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) and will transmit those recommendations to local agencies in early 2008. During the fire hazard severity zone hearing for SRA, several local government officials asked for clarification of authorities and responsibilities associated with the adoption of these LRA VHFHSZ recommendations. Basic authorities and responsibilities for the LRA VHFHSZ are found in Government Code Sections 51175 – 51189. The purpose of this Government Code chapter is to classify lands in accordance with whether a very high fire hazard severity is present so that public officials are able to identify measures that will mitigate the rate of spread, and reduce the potential intensity of uncontrolled fires that threaten to destroy resources, life, or property, and to require that those measures be taken.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The Government Code chapter defines responsibilities for CAL FIRE and for the local agency. In summary, Section 51178 and 51181 defines the CAL FIRE Director’s responsibility to identify very high fire hazard severity zones, transmit this information to local agencies, and to periodically review the recommendations. In part, Section 51178.5 and 51179 defines the local agency’s responsibility to make the recommendation available for public review and to designate, by ordinance, very high fire hazard severity zones in its jurisdiction. CAL FIRE is taking additional steps to ensure that the recommended very high fire hazard severity zones are as accurate as possible. Draft copies of the proposed VHFHSZ have been under field review and validation since January, 2007. An updated draft LRA recommendation was available this fall, 2007. This update will also reflect the comments received during the SRA FHSZ public hearings that may impact LRA zones.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTACTS
Unit level CAL FIRE staff has been instructed to assist local agencies in the review of the draft map recommendations. In addition to the very high fire hazard severity maps, CAL FIRE has mapped high and moderate fire hazard severity areas. This additional information will be made available to local agencies as part of the draft data and then upon request subsequent to the Director’s recommendation. The California Constitution grants basic authority for local agencies to adopt ordinances. This constitutional authority can be used to adopt high and/or moderate fire hazard severity areas or other wildland urban interface areas within the local jurisdiction. CAL FIRE Local Units also can address issues regarding the Chapter 7A standards. Health and Safety Code 13108.5 (c) and GC 51179 (b) provide insight on flexibility local agencies may have to modify fire protection building standards and defensible space requirements once VHFHSZs are adopted, based on local findings. While these sections of law do not provide exemptions for adopting the maps, they may provide authority to exclude fire protection require.

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