Resources

A Wealth of Invaluable Resources

The VRFSC works tirelessly to safeguard people and protect the property of individuals and families living in Ventura County. To this end, we provide the latest resources and tools to learn about wildfires—and to better prepare for the next area wildfire event.

Home Hardening

Illustration of House with Arrows Pointing Left and Right

Defensible Space

Illustration of Backpack with Emergency Supplies

Emergency Preparation

Illustration of Clipboard with House, Magnifying Glass and Money

Insurance

Other Resources

Home Hardening

How Homes Ignite

Buildings ignite during wildfires as a result of one or more of these three basic wildfire exposures: embers, radiant heat, and direct flame contact. The most common source of home ignition is from embers.

Home hardening means making changes to your home to reduce the risk against wildfire.

It is critical to ensure that your home can resist ember ignition by installing proper vents, removing combustible materials next to your home, sealing any opening into the home, enclosing soffits, installing tempered glass double pane windows and correctly installing gutters and gutter guards.

At a glance

In detail

Vents

Vents on homes create openings for flying embers. Ember entry through vents can result in ignition of combustible materials in the attic or crawl space, and result in a building burning from the inside out. The importance of ember and flame entry into vents during wildfires has resulted in the development of commercially available vents designed to resist the intrusion of embers and flame, and recommendations for new or retrofit vents to protect existing openings.

Eaves and Soffits

Eaves are located at the down-slope edge of a sloped roof and serve as the transition between the roof and fascia/wall. The soffit is the material beneath the eaves that connects the far edge of your roof to the exterior wall of your house. Eaves and Soffits are vulnerable to damage from wildfires due to accumulation of hot gasses. Enclosed soffits can protect eaves and should be constructed with non combustible materials for protection from heat and flame.

Decks

The vulnerability of decks to wildfire will depend on the decking board material, any combustible materials stored under the deck or kept on the deck, and the topography and amount and condition of vegetation leading to the deck. Properly constructed and maintained decks can resist embers. Regardless of what type of deck board is used, ignition can occur from an accumulation of combustible material under the deck. Enclosing the underside of the deck is one method to reduce the risk of ignition.

Fencing and Gates

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) recommends non-combustible fencing products when placed within five feet of a building. Using non-combustible fencing where it attaches to the building reduces the opportunity of a burning fence igniting the exterior of the structure. Combustible gates, often attached to homes, can also ignite the structure and should be replaced with non combustible materials.

Roofs

An untreated wood shake or shingle roof covering is the greatest threat to a home. All roofs should have Class A rated materials for ember resistance. Wind-blown debris will accumulate on roofs and in gutters. Dry debris can be ignited by wind-blown embers. Regularly remove vegetative debris from your roof and gutters. Chimneys require a spark arrestor screen with openings no smaller than 3/8 – inch and no larger than 1/2.

Siding

Siding is an important component in terms of providing protection for the building from the weather, and also in terms of the aesthetics of the building. In most cases it is less important from a wildfire exposure perspective compared with other components and assemblies. With proper selection and maintenance of near-home vegetation, most siding products will be able to resist typical wildfire exposures. If you replace your siding, there are many attractive non combustible options available.

Other Home Hardening Resources

CAL FIRE - ReadyForWildfire.org

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - Preparing Homes for Wildfire

Defensible Space

Defensible space is crucial for your home’s wildfire safety. It’s the buffer zone you create between your property and the surrounding wildland area. This space is key to slowing or stopping wildfire spread and protecting your home from embers, flames, or heat. It also gives firefighters a safer area to defend your property.

Zone 0 extends zero to five feet from structures, including the building itself.

Zone 1 begins five feet from your house and extends 30 feet away.

Zone 2 lies beyond the home defense zone, extending at least 100 feet from the house or to your property line.

Ventura County Fire Dept

Ventura Fire County Logo

FIRE HAZARD REDUCTION PROGRAM (FHRP)

Guidelines & Standards

CAL FIRE

CAL FIRE - ReadyForWildfire.org

Emergency Preparation

VC ALERT

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services aims to assist Ventura County residents in preparing for, responding to and recovering from a local disaster. By providing information about local hazards and step-by-step preparedness education and materials, Ready Ventura County supports whole community resilience.

Ventura County residents may opt-in to receive emergency notifications that deliver time-sensitive alerts when there is a threat to health or safety.

Check incidents in real-time.

READY, SET, GO!

This award-winning, national program helps community members be Ready with preparedness understanding, be Set with situational awareness when fire threatens, and to Go, acting early when a fire starts.

Wildfires are now a year-round reality in Ventura County. This means that both firefighters and residents have to be on heightened alert for the threat of wildfire at all times. Firefighters train hard and make countless preparations to be ready for a wildfire. Residents, farmers, and ranchers all need to do the same. Successfully preparing for a wildfire requires you to take personal responsibility for protecting yourself, your family and your property.

Ready, Set, Go! Brochure

SCE's PSPS

Preparing for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)

In order to reduce the risk of wildfires, power utilities in Ventura County (Southern California Edison/PG&E) recently developed plans to shut down power during critical fire weather. During periods of extremely hot, dry, and/or windy weather, the Public Safety Power Shutoff Program (PSPS) can prompt multi-day power outages in many areas

A PSPS outage will last as long as the potentially dangerous weather conditions exist—plus the amount of time it takes for power company workers to inspect and repair their equipment in affected areas. Residents need to be prepared to endure a power outage lasting 3-5 days.

Actual frequency of PSPS events will depend on various weather and environmental factors, and each respective decision will be made with the most accurate assessment of situational awareness data and real-time information.

What does this mean for Ventura County residents?

Power outages deeply impact the whole community and can make it difficult for people to meet even their most basic needs. They may also present a wide range of additional challenges.

Disruption of communications, water, air conditioning, and transportation
Closure of retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, banks, ATMs, and more
Food spoilage and water contamination
Inability to use medical devices like oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines, and more
Inability to use elevators, garage doors, electric gates and doors, and more

How can I prepare?

PSPS events and other power outages are never anything close to ideal. But you can take some smart steps to help make the outage experience more tolerable—and less stressful. Here are some helpful preparation tips and steps.

Plan for any medical needs, like medications needing to be refrigerated or battery-dependent assistive technology and medical devices
Build a Ready, Set, Go! emergency supply kit, including food, water, flashlights, a radio, fresh batteries, first-aid supplies, and cash
Register with Southern California Edison or PG&E to receive up-to-date alerts. Login with your SCE.com User ID here.
Sign up for Ventura County emergency alerts at VCAlert.org
Identify backup charging methods for phones, such as USB power banks
Learn how to manually open your garage door
If you own a backup generator, make sure it’s safe to operate
For additional PSPS resources, check out this fact sheet from prepareforpowerdown.com

PSPS Flyer: How to Prepare in Ventura County Volante de PSPS: Cómo prepararse para los cortes de electricidad en el Condado de Ventura

VCTC

Ventura County Transportation Commission

TRANSPORTATION EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN

Provides a proactive strategy and roadmap for transportation response and recovery during emergencies for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties going forward.

Goals of the TEPP

- - Develop an all-hazards transportation emergency preparedness plan
  - Respond to the needs of the communities sooner and more effectively
  - Create a blueprint for evacuation
  - Improve transit agency management during disasters
  - Develop a plan for disadvantaged and vulnerable populations