On February 28, I spoke at the San Lorenzo Valley (SLV) Firewise Kickoff where community members gathered to learn about the benefits of Firewise and the important role it plays in reducing our wildfire risk. In case you don’t know, Firewise is about collaboration—neighbors working together to reduce fire risk and protect their homes and community.

By creating defensible space, clearing vegetation, and implementing other home hardening efforts, neighborhoods are less likely to lose homes during a wildfire. Firewise communities also get access to wildfire safety training, planning tools, and guidance from fire professionals and forestry experts. In some cases, a recognized Firewise community may be eligible for certain insurance programs or incentives. 

Since the CZU fire, Santa Cruz County has reached over 100 Firewise communities (over 7,500 homes), ranking third in the nation for the number of Firewise USA Recognized communities. If you would like to learn more about how your neighborhood can become a Firewise community, reach out info@slvfire.org or check out the SLV Firewise website. 

Last weekend, I also joined CAL FIRE to speak at a neighborhood meeting for the Ocean Street Extension, which is a rural community near Graham Hill Road that includes several hundred residents. CAL FIRE discussed fire-preparedness and how to create defensible space. I hope to see more neighborhoods around District 5 coming together to discuss these important issues. Let’s continue to strengthen our resilience and create a community that is prepared and ready to face wildfire challenges. 

Another free resource for helping to create and maintain defensible space is the No-Cost Chipping Program offered by the Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County. Registration begins on April 1 and runs through April 30. This program helps homeowners who have cleared vegetation around their homes by providing curbside chipping of brush and small trees—making it easier to keep your property fire-safe. 

Tonight (March 19) at 6:00 p.m., residents are invited to join an online presentation to learn about eligibility, the registration process, how to prepare piles for chipping, and others tips to create defensible space. For more information and to check the online map to see if you qualify for chipping, see rcdsantacruz.org/chipping.

Image: French Broom growing in Boulder Creek.

Did you know that removing invasive species like English Ivy and French Broom plays an important role in building fire-resilient communities? It also helps to restore our natural ecosystems, which support wildlife and biodiversity. 

We are lucky to have so many great local resources about identifying invasive species, techniques for removal, and recommendations for how to restore habitats with native plants. Check out the Valley Women’s Club San Lorenzo Valley Native Habitat Restoration Program and the Resource Conservation District’s invasive plants resources for factsheets and videos on removing French Broom and other invasive weeds.  

Interested in volunteering with the San Lorenzo Valley Water District to remove French Broom at the District’s Olympia Watershed property? Join a team of volunteers on Saturday, April 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For more information and to sign up, click here. 

Supervisor Monica Martinez
Rae Spencer-Hill, Staff Analyst
J.M. Brown, Staff Analyst
Megan Renfrew, Staff Analyst

Contact us: fifth.district@santacruzcountyca.gov
(831) 454-2200