San Diego Fire Prevention Event

When living along the sunny coast of California, fires are far from the first think most residents think about. Given the recent rain storms, the thought of another firestorm at all seems unlikely. Although the latest El Niño storms have flourished green patches throughout California, San Diegans should always remember the 2007 Witch Creek Fires that burnt more than 197,990 acres of San Diego County, demolishing 365 residences and resulting in two casualties. It came seemingly from no where, and as such, many residents were left unprepared.

"When my house got evacuated I remember my mom calling me and taking me out of school. Everything happened so quick [sic] and you just have to pack your stuff and go," said Cathedral Catholic student Mackenzie Hall, 17. "After that, my family realized how important it is to be ready for anything."

Many were caught off guard during the Witch Creek Fires when houses and communities were placed under strict evacuation orders. Not knowing whether your childhood home or precious memories are going to be gone is just devastating. Many residents had to frantically take the household necessities as fast as they could and find somewhere else to ride out the horror. But that is always the danger of living in sunny San Diego. As much as the El Nino rain might make us forget, the truth is that San Diego's hot and dry climate is incredibly flammable; just because San Diego had an unusual amount of rain this winter, that doesn't mean we will be fire-free this summer.

The Santa Ana winds are rolling in and bringing the heat with it. As spring progresses and summer draws nearer, local residents need to make fire prevention a priority and prepare for what mother nature might have in store this upcoming summer. Fires are not something to deal with lightly; they are an extreme force of nature just like a hurricane or earthquake.

ABC 10 Weather has stated that, "Winter has suddenly switched off the rain and flipped on heat up to 95 degrees in California, raising jitters that the strong El Nino might not be the drought-buster the crispy state had hoped for."

The California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) is a statewide non-profit organization that gives grants to local Fire Safe Councils and neighborhood groups. When they got their start in 2004, over $90 million in federal fire prevention monetary have been used to sustain fire-free wildlife.

On April 23rd, the California Fire Safe Council has partnered with Farmers Insurance to aid local San Diegans in protecting their livelihoods and homes. Wildfire Community Preparedness Day will be held Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Barona Reservation Resort, and Spa. Take time out of your day to bask in the nature of San Diego, and get educated on what could be hitting us in the summer. Lunch will be served to all attendees and will be held from 9am to 3:30pm. There will be a number of booths ready with information about fire safety, including booths with children’s activities, demonstrations, and a tour of fire engines. So bring your kids and prevent your homes from a catastrophe!