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CAL FIRE Rescinds Outdoor Burn Ban In Several Central Coast Counties

Felton – Due an extended period of dry conditions this year, CAL FIRE maintained a ban on outdoor open burning in the Central Coastal region from May through December. With the recent rainfall across the region, fuel moisture levels have increased to levels that allow for safer burning conditions. For thatreason, the CAL FIRE Unit Chiefs for this area have agreed to lift the remainder of the ban in San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Benito, Monterey and portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Effective 8:00 am on Monday December 9, 2013.

Read the PDF Press Release here...

Webinar: Experimentally Simulating Wind-Driven Firebrand Showers in WUI Fires

A public webinar discussing Experimentally Simulating Wind-Driven Firebrand Showers in WUI Fires will be presented by Dr. Sam Manzello of the Fire Research Division of the National Institutes & Technology (NIST) on Thursday, December 5 at 11 AM.
This webinar, sponsored by the California Fire Science Consortium, discusses wind-driven firebrand showers, which are a major cause of structural ignition in Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) fires. To address this problem, a new firebrand research area targeted on quantifying structure vulnerabilities to wind-driven firebrand showers has been developed. This type of firebrand research has never possible prior to the development of the NIST Firebrand Generator, also referred to as the NIST Dragon. Due the complexity of the WUI fire problem, great strides must be made to recruit the next generation of researchers to fire safety science from diverse backgrounds. This presentation closes with a discussion of ongoing workshop activities intended to achieve this, as well as some challenges for future WUI research.
Registration: Free online registration at http://www.cafiresci.org/2013-webinars/ . Sign up soon as space is limited.

Firewise Encourages Homeowners to Focus on the "Home Ignition Zone" This Fall

HIZ-mapWith the change in seasons, fall is an excellent time to focus “inward” on the areas closest to your home, according to the latest issue of the Firewise “How-To” Newsletter.

In the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ), debris can accumulate creating a greater risk in the event that embers or flames come near. While the Home Ignition Zone typically includes property within 150 feet of your home, concentrating on the areas closest to your home – 0 to 5 feet from structures – can make a tremendous difference when it comes to preventing the risk of fire.

For more safety tips and to read the full story, check out the Fall 2013 issue of the Firewise “How-To” Newsletter.

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