Meetings/20190313

Preparing for Wildfires

Casey was invited by the RCD to attend this meeting and workshop.

there was a series of presentations followed by breakout groups to focus on specific issues. The results roll back up into the County's long term planning.

https://climatereadysmc.org/climate-ready-smc-collaborative-wildfire-convening has some videos. while they are a bit rough, they're worth watching.

Wind increase over the last decades has been dramatic. 77% increase in since 1984

loss of 'Marine Influence'; forests are no longer cooling as much over night.

county is filled with "non-conforming infrastructure" not suited for increasing fire risk. In urban areas; san carlos, belmont, hillsbourough very dangerous

fire suppression is no longer viable priority: rescue is

San Mateo Counties 'border less fire response system' is best in state

the Sonoma fire destroyed a 3x award winning fire safe community - clearly our standards need to be updated.

Sonoma fire - no training. no chain of command. poor communications ( older folks used pagers, youngre folks had no clue, visa versa. ) loss of firefighters post fire due to lingering stresses.

what is the role of a public official - how does the Brown Act effect emergency response: how can we have the formal public meetings / private deliberation with notifications practice.

under-insurance results in the hollowing out of communities - can't move back in & rebuild.

a key point is that climate change will make this immediate Butano / Big Basin region the locus of mega hectare fires in the next 20 years ( rebecca verity, modeler )