Gov. Newsom visits East Bay hills to highlight…
Gov. Newsom visits East Bay hills to highlight wildfire danger, prevention efforts
Focus is on trying to prevent fires before they begin comes after two years of costly, deadly blazes across the state
BERKELEY, CA - APRIL 23: Governor Gavin Newsom, standing with with Cal Fire Chief Thomas Porter, to highlight high fire danger areas in the East Bay hills ahead of the coming fire season during a press conference in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, Calif., Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - APRIL 23: Governor Gavin Newsom, standing with local politicians and firefighters talks about coming fire season during a press conference in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, Calif., Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - APRIL 23: A picture of the devastation from the 1991 Oakland Hills Fire stands alongside CalFire crews listening to Governor Gavin Newsom discussing the state of emergency throughout California ahead of the coming fire season during a press conference in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, Calif., Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - APRIL 23: CalFire crews stand at attention during a press conference by Governor Gavin Newsom addressing the coming fire season during a press conference, Tuesday, April 23, 2019, in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - APRIL 23: Governor Gavin Newsom shakes hands with CalFire crews after proclaiming a state of emergency throughout California ahead of the coming fire season during a press conference in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, Calif., Tuesday, April 23, 2019. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
BERKELEY, CA - APRIL 23: Governor Gavin Newsom, standing with local politicians and firefighters, discusses the the coming fire season during a press conference, Tuesday, April 23, 2019, in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
By Cat Ferguson | cferguson@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: April 23, 2019 at 4:28 pm | UPDATED: April 24, 2019 at 4:16 am
BERKELEY — The wooded hills that separate Berkeley from Orinda didn't burn during the October 1991 firestorm that killed 25 people and destroyed more than 3,000 homes. But the similarities in terrain, vegetation and encroaching homes have put it in the bullseye of Gov. Gavin Newsom and state fire experts as an area at very high risk of wildfire.
Newsom, along with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín and Cal Fire Director Thom Porter, gathered Tuesday in Tilden Regional Park to outline priorities for brush and creating fire breaks to lessen the fire danger in 35 areas around the state, including the nearby North Orinda Fuel Break. Artificial fuel, or fire, breaks are created by removing dead trees and clearing underbrush in an effort to control the spread of fires.
The focus on trying to prevent fires before they begin comes after two years of costly, deadly blazes across the state, including November's Camp Fire in Butte County that killed 85 people and nearly destroyed the town of Paradise. Last year's wildfires caused at least $12.4 billion in insurance losses, said state Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara in January.
A February 22 analysis issued by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, identified the 35 places around the state in most urgent need of fuel reduction and other prevention efforts. Newsom declared a state of emergency following publication of the report to help clear the path for forest management projects that could affect 200 communities statewide. At least 560,000 people live in the vicinity of the Orinda project alone.
Newsom said that reducing fire risks would take combined efforts by the state, local and regional fire agencies, as well as residents. He pointed out that the Oakland/Berkeley hills are just as vulnerable as more rural Butte County. Work on the project in the East Bay, known as the North Orinda Fuel Break, will begin the end of next week. The area is just a few miles from the origin point of the 1991 Oakland Hills fire.
The heavy rain and snow this last winter contributed to greater fire danger thanks to new growth that will become fire fuel as the weather heats up.
"Over the last two years we've lost 139 lives; 2.8 million acres have been lost to wildfires; 2017, 2018 (were) devastating fire seasons. Fire seasons are pretty much year round now," Newsom said. "Ten of the most destructive fires have happened since just 2015… I don't know what more proof you need of the sense of urgency."
Porter also warned that while fire breaks, prescribed burns and thinning trees and underbrush can help mitigate damage, but there are many ways that a fire can spread once it's large enough.
"It's very difficult to say that fuel reduction will stop the fire. Probably it will not," Porter said. "What we're trying to do here is herd a fire, but we don't know where it's going to stop."
Cal Fire's analysis focused both on physical fire risk and the socioeconomic factors in communities potentially affected by fires. Those include how many residents live in poverty, how many have cars, and how many have physical issues that would make evacuation difficult or impossible without assistance.
Newsom urged the public to download an app created by Cal Fire called "Ready for Wildfire" that can help residents make their homes more fire-safe and less likely to burn. The app also helps people sign up for alerts and create wildfire emergency plans.
Cat Ferguson
Cat Ferguson covers the intersection of healthcare and technology at The Mercury News. Her work on addiction treatment marketing was cited by a Congressional committee investigating industry practices and nominated for a 2018 Livingston Award. She likes all animals and believes in the healing power of good pizza.
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