Las Jollas de Rancho Grande in Arroyo Grande is surrounded by trees and other vegetation, which are a major risk if a wildfire came through the area. That’s why neighbors decided to form the first Firewise Community within city limits.
Gary Sprague is a resident in Las Jollas de Rancho Grande. His home backs up to a highly vegetated area near the community.
“I woke up one day and worried that what we were hearing about the devastating fires south of us, in north of us, it was obvious that something was… we have a threat," Sprague said. "Neighbors were starting to talk about it, too.”
Sprague and his neighbors organized a board in their neighborhood to build a working system that reduces wildfire risks in the area through a three-year plan, identifying how they are going to mitigate fire risks, starting with identifying vulnerabilities at each home.
The community that includes 65 homes was firewise certified last month. Sprague said that’s just the beginning of keeping the community safe.
There are 17 current Firewise communities within San Luis Obispo County. SLO County has its own Fire Safe Council that helps interested communities get their Firewise certification.
Residents must do an assessment of local wildfire risks, make a community action plan, and work to reduce those risks throughout the year.
Baxter Boyington with the Firewise Council said it’s exciting to see wildfire preparedness catch on.
“People are getting safe on their properties, got these beautiful constructed homes, and then we pile kindling against them with landscaping and fire cushions," Boyington said. "Now people are becoming aware of, 'Maybe I'll plant that rosebush over there, I'll change this out.' They're getting safer. Piece by piece. Property by property.”
In the last year, the fire hazard severity designations have changed, labeling eastern Arroyo Grande as high severity.
Five Cities Fire Authority Chief Scott Hallett said this community effort doesn’t just make the area safer, but helps first responders when a wildfire strikes.
“The more we can do to either eliminate the start of a fire or reduce the spread of the fire, it allows the fire suppression resources, the firefighters, time to get in and extinguish the fire,” Hallett said.
Hallett said other communities in the city are already looking into how they can become firewise certified. Communities with this certification have the chance to lower their insurance costs.
To establish a Firewise Community in your neighborhood, Boyington said the first step is reaching out to those around you and contacting the Fire Safe Council.
