North Bay fire officials expect to see more grass fires this summer as wildfire season gears up

The Bay Area's wet winter and periodic cool weather forecast this summer are expected to help slow the region's progress toward peak fire season, but officials expect an increase in grass fires due to the strong growth that followed all this precipitation.

The Bay Area, including Sonoma and Napa counties, is expected to have a below-normal fire risk for June and July, and a normal fire potential for August and September, according to a branch of the coordination center for the Northern California geographic area.

The region is also expected to experience cool, wet weather that would periodically interrupt warmer temperatures over the next two to three months, easing the transition into peak fire season, Ben Nichols, fire division chief, said Monday. of Cal, to the supervisory board.

Nichols joined Sonoma County Fire District Chief Mark Heine and Sonoma County Emergency Management Director Jeff DuVall to brief the Board of Supervisors on the region's fire preparedness of forest. Sonoma County Sheriff Eddie Engram also attended the meeting Monday but was not part of the presentation.

“Here we are in fire season again,” Heine said during the presentation. “It arrived this weekend all over the county.”

County and emergency officials are urging the public to stay informed about evacuation routes and any steps they can take to help mitigate fire risks around their properties.

The rain, they noted, has led to significant growth in annual grasses and a trough along the West Coast could create more wind gusts this summer.

“Our grass crop is large and so this is going to be something we see throughout the summer,” Nichols said.

Here are the key takeaways from the update:

Bushfires expected at this time of year

So far this year, Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa region has seen 68 fires with 126 acres burned, Nichols said. As of June last year, the area had seen 75 fires and 27 acres had burned.

The Crystal Fire in Napa County last week burned 57 acres, increasing the area burned, Nichols added.

“While we have seen an increase in fires lately, the fires we have had are not something to be concerned about,” Nichols said. “It’s fire season. It is now mid-June and we are planning to respond to wildland fires.

Dry wind and “an abundance of annual grasses” are expected to lead to more grass and brush fires with “control complexities,” especially as peak fire season approaches, Nichols said.

The Sonoma County Fire District responded to five brush fires last weekend, Heine said. He noted that most of these fires were started by people mowing grass and “trying to do the right thing.”

Heine added that grass should be cut early in the morning, not in the middle of the day when temperatures peak.

Staffing

Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit reached maximum strength Monday, Nichols said, with 31 engines, six dozers and five hand crews.

Heine emphasized coordination between local and state agencies, noting that the district receives comprehensive briefings from the National Weather Service every Monday and regularly connects with other agencies and stakeholders “to ensure we are all operating with the same level intelligence and planning for this. week.”

He added that having Cal Fire's air attack base at Charles M Airport, Schulz-Sonoma County helps keep key “specialized resources” close by.

“We're ready, we're well positioned, the communities in Sonoma County are very well protected,” Heine said. “Even though we all wear different patches and receive paychecks from different agencies, we are one team, one mission across the country. »

Know your area and prepare your property

Firefighters on Monday stressed the importance of preparing the public in the event of a fire emergency. This preparation includes knowing neighborhood evacuation zones, registering for emergency alert systems, and creating at least 100 feet of defensible space around your home to aid firefighting efforts. .

“It’s about making your case to provide a defense so we can provide an offense,” Nichols said of smart brush and property management.

DuVall urged people to visit the emergency management department's website, SoCoemergency.org, for preparedness tips and to sign up for the county's alert system. The county will also use its website and social media to alert the public of increased periods of fire danger during red flag warnings, DuVall said.

Evacuees from past wildfires in the area have urged other residents to make sure you have a backpack ready, with quick access to the other things you'll need: personal files and prescriptions, glasses, photos and other irreplaceable memories, computers and hard drive backup. discs.

It's essential to coordinate evacuation plans for your household and neighborhood, and to know both your official evacuation zone and routes to safety, Nichols said.

“We just need to make it clear to the public that not all fires are going to be Tubbs fires, but they need to know their area,” Nicholls said.

You can reach staff writer Emma Murphy at 707-521-5228 or [email protected]. On Twitter @MurphReports.