The devastation caused by the recent wildfires in California will continue to have impacts for years to come. The speed and severity of these fires has highlighted the fragility of our communities in the event of natural disasters. We have received many questions about where to get information on how to prepare for such an event. While no amount of preparation will can remove 100% of risk, UC Cooperative Extension has an assortment of materials regarding pre- and post-wildfire information. We will do our best to provide links to where to get the most up-to-date information, and if readers know of better information, we are happy to update it. This list should not be considered exhaustive, but we hope it will be helpful.
Nota: Recursos para desastres naturales en español estan disponible aquí
Some of the information below is specific to a certain region, but is included in this more general list as it may be applicable in other areas. For materials specifically for your county, check your local Cooperative Extension website listed below.
Pre-wildfire resources:
UCANR Resources:
- Home Landscaping for Fire
- Landscape Tips to Help Defend Your Home from Wildfire
- S.A.F.E. Landscapes
- Home Survival in Wildfire-Prone Areas: Building Materials and Design Considerations
- Developing a WIldfire Plan for Livestock
- Wildfire and Fuel Management
- California Forestland Steward - Wildfire
Other Resources:
- Emergency Alerts - Sign up for mobile alerts through Nixle
- Mendocino County Firesafe Council Wildfire Risk Assessment
- Developing Water Supplies for Fire Protection
- Living with Wildfire - Mendocino County
- Living with Wildfire - Santa Cruz County
- NRCS Conservation Practice Standard - Fuel Break
- Fire Adapted Communities Self-Assessment Tool
During a Wildfire:
UCANR Resources:
Other Resources:
Post-wildfire resources:
UCANR Resources:
- Homeowners Guide to Recovering from Wildfire
- Recovering from Wildfire: A Guide for California’s Forest Landowners
- Recovering from Wildfire in Southern California Forests
- Consumer Fraud Protection Alert: Don’t Get Burned Twice
- Fire Recovery in California’s Oak Woodlands
Other Resources:
- Cal Office of Emergency Services October Wildfire Resources & Information
- United Policyholders - North Bay Fires - Insurance Claim Help
- Cal Fire - Returning Home After a Wildfire
- Safely Returning to your Home After a Wildfire
- Safe Cleanup of Fire Ash
- “If in Doubt, Throw it Out” - What to do with Food and Medication After a Wildfire
- Evaluating Damage to Your Home After a WIldfire
- Cal EPA - Fire Response and Recovery
- Wildfires, Smoke and Livestock
- Sonoma County Fire Recovery for Businesses & Employees
- Post-Fire Restoration “Dos” and “Don’ts”
- Soil Quality Resource Concerns: Hydrophobicity
- Prevent Soil Erosion on Your Property: A Homeowner’s Guide to Erosion Control
- Burned Area Rehabilitation and Forest Area Restoration
- Coping with Stress
- Recovery After Disaster: The Family Financial Toolkit
More information:
Much of the above information was compiled from various UC Cooperative Extension websites. These websites are an excellent resource tailored to individual counties (or groups of counties) for fire and other natural resource related information.
UC Cooperative Extension Fire Websites:
- Central Sierra
- Mariposa County
- Mendocino County
- San Luis Obispo County
- Sonoma County
- Sutter-Yuba Counties
- UCANR Wildfire Story Map
- Recursos para desastres naturales en español
Other websites:
- eXtension Wildfire
- California Fire Safe Council
- Ready for Wildfire
- Institute for Business and Home Safety - Wildfire
UC Cooperative Extension Fire Advisors:
Lenya Quinn-Davidson – Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, and Siskiyou counties
Kate Wilkin – Sutter, Yuba, Butte, Nevada counties
Additional UCANR Wildfire Experts:
http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=18117
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, some of this information may be based on old regulations that have since changed, and will likely change again in response to this disaster. We still provide them below in case the information is still of use, but please note that standards may have changed since the time these were written