We are always happy to see rain...although recent events have been a bit too much of a good thing. I thank the incredible team of volunteer firefighters, CAL FIRE, TSRA Staff, and public agencies such as County Roads and CalTrans for their extreme efforts to respond to the devastating storms of early January, and the many additional storms since then. Hopefully the rest of the winter and spring will continue to bring beneficial rather than overwhelming rain.
We encourage everyone in our community to continue to do what they can to prepare for future emergencies such as large vegetation fires, earthquakes, or extended power outages. It is always a good time to get work done to prepare yourself and your home, but the relatively gentle weather season from now until late summer is an especially good time. Here are some suggestions:
- Prepare your home to be as fire-resistant as possible. Please see Sonoma County's "Hardening for Resilience" information.
- Know Your Evacuation Zone.
- Maintain defensible space around your home. Be smart about performing clearance: Do not use power tools or mowers in dry vegetation and especially not on windy days. There may not be too many of them, but make the best of the occasional damp/foggy morning!
- Take advantage of Sonoma County's Chipper Program to help get rid of debris after doing vegetation clearance.
- Do all that you can to be informed about emergencies in your area.
- Be familiar with all of the routes out of your area.
The COVID-19 virus pandemic situtation continues to affect us even though vaccinations have provided great relief and increased safety. The community should know that your first responders continue to be prepared to respond to incidents involving COVID-19, and also are taking all measures possible to avoid contagion in order to continue to be able to respond for our community. You can help by getting vaccinated, staying informed, following whatever physical distancing and/or masking orders are in force, and maintaining good hygiene practices. Please see additional information on our COVID-19 page.
Be Well, and Be Safe!
- Fire Chief Bonnie Plakos
