Certificate Renewal

Each year the national Firewise USA organization requires all Firewise Communities to renew their certification status by reporting educational activities, vegetation removal, and risk reduction investment. Although this was just our first year, we provided data way beyond what was required.

1. Samples ofeducational outreach activities:

• Coordinated community-wide awareness/educational activities to increase wildfire risk reduction actions and overall preparedness with speakers/demonstrations from the South Placer Fire Department, PCWA, Placer County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Services, and other agencies.
• Held a fire-resistant plant species workshop for residents with help from our local cooperative extension office.
• Provided two insurance clinics to residents with the support of the California Department of Insurance. Assisted individual residents facing insurance non-renewal.
• Organized residents for a volunteer neighborhood work party for a senior neighbor.
• Placed wildfire-related articles in the community newsletter and website.
• Conducted individual wildfire risk assessments and advised residents of possible next steps toward home hardening and vegetation management.

2. Samples ofvegetation removal:

• Removal of 800+ cubic yards of vegetation, 20 burn piles, and donation of 8-foot logs to a firewood company.
• Estimated weekly residential removal by homeowners of 77+ cubic yards of excess vegetation.

3. Ourrisk reduction investmentincluded:

• Hours Worked: HOA investment of 1857 hours valued at $62,191 plus Resident investment of 1547 hours valued at $51,809. (Firewise USA sets value at $33.49/hour.)
• Money Spent: HOA investment of $46,180 and Resident investment of $684,393. 

Total Investment Required = $5425; Actual Total Investment = $844, 573

Per Lot Investment Required = $33; Actual Per Lot Investment = $5213

Our community’s fire safety relies on all of us doing what we can to harden our homes and reduce excess vegetation. Our HOA is doing a great job of vegetation management. What about our residents? This year, only 14 of our 162 lots reported any investment in fire safety. Imagine how huge next year’s residential renewal investment total could be if all of us did the work and reported the investment! Imagine how much safer we would all be!

Here are your 14 intrepid reporters: Atkins, Browne, Cantalupo, Ebert, Fleisher, Forslin, Johnson, Kemper, Means, Oversteg, Rodgers, Schwegel, Steele, and Taylor.