20th Anniversary Program Spotlight: Wildfire Prevention

Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) has been committed to its mission of protecting, restoring and enhancing tens of thousands of acres of wildlands across Southern California for the last 20 years. One of the biggest threats to these lands is wildfire, an increasingly destructive disaster in urban wildlands. While naturally occurring fires have been an essential part of the historic landscape of Southern California, the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires now pose serious risks to both the landscape and surrounding communities. In response, IRC’s Wildfire Prevention program has become a vital part of the organization.

IRC’s fire prevention efforts are intricately tied to many other areas of their work, from removing invasive plant species that fuel fires to restoring native habitats that build resilience to engaging volunteers and community partners in early detection efforts. The Wildfire Prevention team works directly with all other programs within the organization and is an integral part of each department’s work. However, this wasn’t always the case. The program has undergone significant expansion over the last two decades. 

The program took shape after the devastating 2007 Santiago Fire, which was intentionally set, highlighting the urgent need for more preventive measures. That same year, IRC helped launch Orange County Fire Watch in partnership with OC Parks, the City of Irvine, the City of Newport Beach and the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). By 2015, OCFA recognized the need to bring together organizations in Orange County working towards the same goal to better facilitate collaboration, and the County of Orange Area Safety Taskforce (COAST) was founded. With 30 organizations joining, IRC stepped in as the lead facilitator to coordinate fire prevention efforts across the region. Because wildfires do not know jurisdictional boundaries, collaboration is essential. 

From connecting IRC programs and coordinating Fire Watch volunteers to leading COAST and hosting annual wildfire prevention symposiums, the Wildfire Prevention team is now operating at full speed. Through strategic partnerships and collaboration, the team identifies gaps across the county to guide effective planning, all in alignment with the regional wildfire prevention plan they’ve developed. IRC continues to work closely with regional and state partners, as well as the community, to monitor conditions, reduce risk and respond swiftly to potential fire ignitions.

Until recently, this work was carried out voluntarily by IRC staff, who balanced full-time roles in other program areas. Thanks to RFFC Grant funding received in 2022, IRC was able to hire its first full-time program manager, enabling IRC and local organizations to participate in more initiatives not only in Orange County but also statewide. 

“In just three years with the organization, I’ve seen remarkable growth,” says Madison Killebrew, Wildfire Prevention Program Manager. “As we celebrate IRC’s 20th anniversary, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on how far we’ve come, appreciate where we have been, recognize where we are now and acknowledge how we can move forward together.”

Stay tuned this year for more ways to help celebrate 20 years of stewardship with IRC!