NFPA Journal - July/August 2018 - 82

Wildfire by Lucian Deaton

THE VIEW
FROM NFPA'S
WILDFIRE DIVISION

No Backing Down
EVEN AFTER A HISTORIC WILDFIRE, RESIDENTS IN ONE SANTA ROSA
NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUE TO EMBRACE THE VALUE OF THE FIREWISE USA PROGRAM

here's no single or correct

me that, while they were sheltering in
way to handle the aftera hotel during the fire, a fellow Founmath of a devastating
taingrove resident approached him to
wildfire, and until it
reiterate that the work the community
happens, it's impossible
did prior to Tubbs wasn't wasted-they
to know how any individual or commuhad, after all, successfully kept the
nity might respond. With that said, the
wildfire risk at bay for a decade.
response of residents in Fountaingrove II,
In that vein, just a month after the
a neighborhood in Santa Rosa, California,
fire, the community chose to hold its
that was decimated by last year's Tubbs
annual Firewise Day of safety educaFire, provides a great example of resiltion, and continued its active status
iency and community rebuilding.
in NFPA's national recognition proThe Tubbs Fire could not have encoungram. While residents were naturally
tered a more prepared community.
in a state of shock following Tubbs,
In any other fire, these
Fountaingrove II had been a Firewise
Searles said, most people felt that the
preparations might
USA® site since 2009, committed to the
Firewise program would be critical
have been sufficent.
principles of community-wide wildfire
going forward to provide residents
But the Tubbs Fire
preparation and hazard mitigation. In
guidance on rebuilding and repairing
ruined even the
addition to Firewise, Fountaingrove II
homes in ways that will leave them
best-laid plans.
has a group called the Open Space Mainteless vulnerable to the next wildfire.
nance Association, which helps coordinate
By keeping the Firewise committee
and execute the neighborhood's yearly vegin place, community leaders have a
etation reduction and resident education
platform to encourage metal roofs,
efforts. Dennis Searles, the community's
exterior preparedness, native vegetaFirewise program leader, recently told me that the community tion, nonflammable fencing, and a reduction of vegetation
joined Firewise to bring even more definition to the neighbor- used as privacy fencing.
hood's wildfire mitigation efforts and to keep residents motivated.
That's especially important in Santa Rosa, where city officials
All the work seemed to be paying off. Both the Santa Rosa have made few changes to building regulations post-fire, leaving
Fire Department and Cal Fire have considered Fountaingrove II it up to homeowners to educate themselves and make choices
a role model for its vegetation reduction and mitigation efforts. about how to rebuild in this fire-prone area, Searles told me.
In any other fire, these preparations might have been sufAfter such widespread loss, some may wonder why residents
ficient. But the Tubbs Fire, pushed by near hurricane-force would want to rebuild in an area with such a high and proven
winds, was no ordinary fire-its speed and scope ruined even wildfire risk. The simple answer, Searles said, is that despite
the best-laid plans. The fire destroyed more than 470 homes in the challenges of rebuilding-too few builders to meet demand,
the community, including the homes of three of Fountaingrove costs rising above insurance payouts, and more-residents are
II's Firewise board members. There was a small silver lining to connected to the region and its beautiful landscape and don't
the devastating outcome: In its annual report, published after want to leave. As they plan their futures, it's a strong lesson
the fire, Fountaingrove's maintenance association found that for others to see that the residents of one fire-ravaged neighthe community's mitigation efforts had performed well in areas borhood in Santa Rosa continue to embrace the value of the
where the fire acted as predicted.
Firewise USA Program.
Searles and his fellow residents have not been deterred, and
they don't consider their pre-fire efforts a failure. Searles told LUCIAN DEATON is a project manager in NFPA's Wildfire Division.

82 | NFPA JOURNAL * J U L Y /A U G U S T 2 0 1 8

MICHAEL HOEWELER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - July/August 2018