As Southern Californians enjoy the brief rainy season, the upcoming drier and warmer weather not only means more outdoor adventures, but also means that wildfire season is just around the corner. The wildlands in Orange County, covered in coastal sage scrub and chaparral, dry out significantly during the hot summer months and are left with very low moisture. This dry landscape combined with Santa Ana winds and high temperatures leads to extremely high fire risk.
Wildfires are a growing concern in California and are most often started by humans, igniting from roads or other urban wildland interface areas. These wildfires spread quickly and can damage acres of land at a time. Through a collaborative partnership with Irvine Ranch Conservancy, OC Parks, City of Irvine, City of Newport Beach and Orange County Fire Authority, the Orange County Fire Watch program calls on volunteers to help watch for accidental or intentional fire ignitions.
Wildfires are a growing concern in California and are most often started by humans, igniting from roads or other urban wildland interface areas. These wildfires spread quickly and can damage acres of land at a time. Through a collaborative partnership with Irvine Ranch Conservancy, OC Parks, City of Irvine, City of Newport Beach and Orange County Fire Authority, the Orange County Fire Watch program calls on volunteers to help watch for accidental or intentional fire ignitions.
The Fire Watch program helps reduce catastrophic wildfires through education, early reporting and deterrence. Trained Fire Watch volunteers are deployed during Red Flag events and are stationed along roadsides near fire-prone open space. These deployment locations are determined by fire spread research, historical ignition data and participant safety requirements. Volunteers walk the perimeters of these high-risk areas and act as visual deterrents for potential arsonists, keep an eye out for and report any suspicious activity, and assist with early detection of wildfire ignitions.
The Fire Watch volunteers are instrumental to the prevention of wildfires throughout Orange County and can always use additional support as they prepare for another fire season. For more information about Irvine Ranch Conservancy and the Fire Watch program, visit LetsGoOutside.org. If you are interested in becoming a Fire Watch volunteer, please call 714-508-4700 or email firewatch@irconservancy.org.
The Fire Watch volunteers are instrumental to the prevention of wildfires throughout Orange County and can always use additional support as they prepare for another fire season. For more information about Irvine Ranch Conservancy and the Fire Watch program, visit LetsGoOutside.org. If you are interested in becoming a Fire Watch volunteer, please call 714-508-4700 or email firewatch@irconservancy.org.
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