The workshop is on April 23, from 9 a.m. until noon at the Public Safety Center on Park Street
PASO ROBLES — The Paso Robles City Fire Department is offering a Wildfire Preparedness Workshop on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. until noon, at the Public Safety Center, 900 Park Street in downtown Paso Robles. Residents living in hazardous wildfire areas are urged to attend. There is no cost for this event.
Every year, devastating wildfires burn across California. While these fires will continue to happen, there are things you can do to help protect your home and neighborhood as well as your family’s safety.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed a program based on research to help people learn about wildfires and how they can make their homes and neighborhoods safer. The program shows how to prepare homes to withstand embers and prevent flames or surface fire from igniting the home and its immediate surroundings by working in an area known as the home ignition zone (HIZ). This is the home and everything around it, generally within 100 feet, although it may be up to 200 feet for homes built on hillsides.
In many neighborhoods, home ignition zones often overlap onto adjacent properties — meaning that homes are closer than 100 feet to one another. This makes the conditions of neighboring homes and vegetation a part of the wildfire threat. It becomes extremely important then that neighbors work collaboratively with each other to reduce shared risk. For a neighborhood to survive a wildfire, it must have good neighbors.
The workshop will present information on the three home ignition zones and the selection of fire-resistant plants, and their maintenance. In addition, information will be available regarding roofing materials and eave construction and attic and roof vents that prevent ember entry.
Information on fire resistant deck construction will also be available. Learn how to make siding less susceptible to ignition from embers and windows resistant to breaking. Preparedness would not be complete without insuring that emergency responders could find and gain access to your home.
The Paso Robles City Fire Department is sponsoring this program to involve local residents in a program that provides a framework to help neighbors get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and communities from wildfire. For more information, contact Fire Captain John Prickett at 805 227-7560 or jprickett@prcity.com.
