AS MORE WILDFIRES SPREAD IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA A REMINDER ABOUT THE IMPORT. CURTAINS OF BEING PREPARED GETTING OUT OF YOUR HOUSE SAFELY AND GETTING SOMEWHERE SAFE BUYERS IN OUR AREA ARE GETTING LARGER AND EVEN MORE DESTRUCTIVE FAMILIES NEED TO BE READY AT A MOMENT’S NOTICE SOME OF OUR BACK ROADS. IT’S VERY DIFFICULT. TONIGHT WHAT HOMEOWNERS ARE DOING TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY. THERE’S THIS BREAK POINT WHERE THEY GO TO A METAL FENCE. THE GOAL WAS TO REBUILD THE BACK AS AN EXAMPLE THE MOST COMMON THINGS PEOPLE FORGET IF THEY NEED TO EVACUATE THINGS LIKE TOYS FOR A CHILD TO KEEP THEM OCCUPIED BECAUSE YOU’RE IN A SHELTER FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND WHAT CALIFORNIANS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSURANCE BEFORE AND AFTER A FIRE TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IN OUR KCRA3 SPECIAL WILDFIRE READY? WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND WATCHING OUR THIRD WILDFIRE READY SPECIAL HERE ON KCRA 3. I’M LISA GONZALEZ, AND I’M MARK FINEAN. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOUR FAMILY PREPARE FOR WHAT COULD BE DANGEROUS WILDFIRES IN OUR AREA WE HAVE TIPS FROM METEOROLOGISTS AND FIRE OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD DO BEFORE AND AFTER A FIRE SPREADS AND RECENTLY CREWS HAVE BEEN ON THE SCENE OF THE ELECTRA FIRE AND AMADOR AND CALAVERAS COUNTIES. THE FIRE HAS THREATENED MORE THAN A THOUSAND STRUCTURES AND PROMPTED EVACUATIONS IN BOTH COUNTIES. IT’S A REMINDER OF HOW QUICKLYPT NEAR HOMES IN OUR REGION AND WHEN IT COMES TO FIRE PREPARATIONS SOME AREAS ARE AT HIGHER RISK THAN OTHERS. THERE ARE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IN OUR REGION WITH VERY FEW EV DURATION ROUTES I SPOKE WITH SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENTS AROUND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ABOUT SOME OF THEIR GREATEST AREAS OF CONCERN. FEAR OF FOOTHILLS ARE ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE AREAS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HERE YOU FIND THE COMBINATION OF DENSE VEGETATION AND POPULATION ONCE A FIRE STARTS HERE. THERE’S SOME SPOTS THAT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT TO EVACUATE. LET’S LOOK AT AMADOR COUNTY AS AN EXAMPLE FROM WEST TO EAST THE COUNTY RUNS FROM THE VALLEY FLOOR TO THE HIGH SIERRA AND IN BETWEEN THERE ARE COMMUNITIES. EMBEDDED IN THE VEGETATION AMADOR COUNTY SHERIFF GARY REDMOND SAYS HIS COUNTY IS OVERDUE FOR A FIRE. WE ARE OVERDUE WITH THE BUTTE FIRE AND THEN THE COWBOY FIRE LAST YEAR WAS ONE OF THOSE CLOSE CALLS AND IT WAS BASED ON WIND AND THAT WAS IT. SO IT’S NOT A MATTER. IF IT’S GOING TO HAPPEN, IT’S JUST WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN. THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTY THAT THE SHERIFF IS MORE WORRIED ABOUT THAN OTHERS. EVERYTHING EAST OF 49 IS REALLY MY CONCERN AND WITH THE OVERGROWN BRUSH AND THE AMOUNT OF FUEL WE HAVE WE’VE GOT AREAS UP IN THE FIDDLE TOWN SHAKERIDGE CORRIDOR ALL THE WAY UP INTO PIONEER ADA. THOSE ARE A LOT OF OUR MAIN CONCERNS A NETWORK OF NARROWER ROADS IN THIS AREA COMBINED WITH DENSE VEGETATION. WE’LL MAKE IT EV STATION HERE VERY DIFFICULT. THE THREAT IS EXTREMELY HIGH. THERE’S A LOT OF OVERGROWN LOCATIONS IN AMATEUR COUNTY WITH YOU KNOW, VERY LITTLE, YOU KNOW, INGRESS AND EGRESS OUT OF THOSE LOCATIONS NOW IS THE TIME TO BE PREPARED FOR FIRE SEASON AMADOR COUNTY AND MOST OTHER COUNTIES HAVE AN ALERT SYSTEM YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR TO BE ALERTED ABOUT EVACUATIONS AND OTHER EMERGENCIES IN YOUR AREA NOW’S THE TIME AND AND WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE LAST YEAR. IN THE CALENDAR FIRE I GO TO A LOT OF LOCATIONS AND AND MYSELF AND MY OES COORDINATOR. THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IS MAKING SURE YOU’RE ON THAT CODE RED NOTIFICATION. AMADOR COUNTY IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE FIRE DANGER ON THE WEST SLOPE IN PLACER COUNTY THE SHERIFF HERE LOOKS AT THE TOWN OF FOREST HILL AND THE DIFFICULTY OF AN EVACUATION EL DORADO COUNTY HAS PLACES LIKE MOSQUITO AND SWANSBORO. THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES. THERE ARE MANY COMMUNITIES IN FOOTHILLS THAT HAVE DIFFICULT. SAYS IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY IF YOU LIVE IN ONE OF THESE AREAS PREPARE NOW FOR HOW TO GET OUT IN CASE OF A FIRE. AND ONE OTHER THING I HEARD FROM THE SHERIFF WAS THAT THEY’VE ISSUE EVACUATION WARNINGS AND THEN ORDERS AND HE SAID IF YOU HAVE A DIFFICULT DIFFICULTY GETTING OUT IF YOU HAVE LARGE ANIMALS IF YOU HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES, YOU DON’T WAIT FOR THE ORDER GO ON THE WARNING LEAVING EARLY IS BETTER THAN LEAVING LATER. WELL AND LIKE WE SAW WITH THE KALDORE FIRE THAT ORDER MAY COME AT TWO OR THREE. AM AND THERE AREN’T A LOT THERE AREN’T STREET LIGHTS OUT THERE. SO THEN YOU WOULD BE TRYING TO EVACUATE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND SHEER DARKNESS. AND THAT IS THE SHERIFF’S BIGGEST CONCERN IS TRYING TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THOSE RELATIVELY REMOTE AREAS. YEAH. WELL NOW WE WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT A NEW SYSTEM. WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON HERE AT KCR3 IT WILL HELP HOMEOWNERS ASSESS THEIR DAILY THREAT LEVEL WHEN IT COMES TO FIRES METEOROLOGIST EILEEN JAVORA SHOWS US HOW IT WORKS. DURING FIRE SEASON. IT IS CRUCIAL TO KNOW THE DAYS. YOU NEED TO BE READY AND AL. WHEN THE WEATHER IS PRIME FOR FIRE CONDITIONS GUSTY NORTH WINDS LOW HUMIDITY. YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH HEARING US TALK ABOUT RED FLAG WARNINGS, AND THESE ARE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WHEN WEATHER EVENTS WHICH MAY RESULT IN ACTIVE FIRE BEHAVIOR WILL OCCUR WITHIN 24 HOURS THE TYPE OF WEATHER PATTERNS THAT CAUSE A RED FLAG WARNING INCLUDE LOW HUMIDITY STRONG WINDS DRIVE FUELS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF DRY LIGHTNING OR ANY COMBINATION OF THE ABOVE NOW, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS LAUNCHED A HIGHER LEVEL ALERT CALLED A PARTICULARLY DANGER. SITUATION OR PDS? YOU’RE GOING TO SEE IT HIGHLIGHTED ON OUR MAPS IN A MAGENTA COLOR. THE PDS DESIGNATION WILL ONLY BE USED FOR RARE EVENTS WITHIN AN EXISTING RED FLAG WARNING ALREADY IN PLACE TO ISSUE A PDF SUSTAINED WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH ABOVE 30 MILES AN HOUR HUMIDITY AND SINGLE DIGIT RANGE DURING THE DAY ARE VERY LOW NIGHTTIME HUMIDITY. WE KNOW THESE CRITICAL WEATHER AND DRY CONDITIONS CAN LEAD TO RAPID OR DRAMATIC SPREAD SHOULD A WILDFIRE START WHERE IT MAY BE UNSTOPPABLE TAKE A SITUATION LIKE THE CAMPFIRE, THAT COULD BE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF CONDITIONS WHERE FIGHTING BACK THE FIRE BECOMES NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AND FLEEING. THE FIRE IS THE ONLY OPTION IN FACT TAKE A LOOK AT THE STRONG WORDING IN THE OFFICIAL ACTION STATEMENT DURING A PDS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH EXTREMELY LOW HUMIDITY AND HIGH WINDS NEW FIRES WILL GROW RAPIDLY OUT OF CONTROL IN SOME CASES PEOPLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EVACUATE SAFELY IN TIME SHOULD A FIRE APPROACH. WE KNOW THESE INSTANCES WILL BE RARE BUT WHEN A PDS IS ISSUED BASICALLY IT’S SAYING BE READY TO GO. WE SHOULD NOTE NOT ALL FIRES HAPPEN DURING RED FLAG WARNINGS IN FACT THE CAL DOOR AND DIXIE FIRES LAST YEAR DIDN’T START ON FIRE WARNING DAYS ALWAYS BE PREPARED AND HAVE A COURSE OF ACTION DURING FIRE SEASON AND ONE NEW TOOL THE KCRA WEATHER TEAM WILL BE USING TO KEEP YOU INFORMED AS FIRE CONDITIONS CHANGE IS THE FIRE THREAT INDEX. THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE FIRE RISK ON ANY GIVEN DAY IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF OUR REGION SO YOU CAN PLAN AHEAD USING OUR KNOWLEDGE OF FUEL MOISTURE LEVELS, OR HOW DRY THE TREES GRASS AND BRUSH ARE HUMIDITY AND WIND WE CAN ASSESS FIRE DANGER AND WE CAN THEN DETERMINE THE TEXAS FIRE CONCERN AND RATE IT FROM LOW TO EXTREME WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL LIKELY FOR THOSE DAYS WITH PDS WARNINGS. WE WILL BE SHOWING YOU THESE ON-AIR AS THE WEATHER WARRANTS AND YOU’LL BE ABLE TO FIND THEM ONLINE AT KCRA.COM UNDER THE WEATHER TAB. WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP YOUR FAMILY PREPARE IN CASE OF FIRE AND TO PROTECT YOUR HOME, BUT WHAT IF A FIRE DOES BURN THROUGH YOUR AREA AND YOU FIND YOURSELF WITHOUT A PLACE TO LIVE CASE AREA 3 METEOROLOGIST MELODY HUNTER HAS IMPORTANT ADVICE FROM THE RED CROSS YOU’RE WE’RE SEEING MORE SCENES LIKE THIS OF CHARRED HOMES. IF YOU HAVE TO EVACUATE IT IS AN ABSOLUTELY ONE OF THE MOST DEVASTATING EXPERIENCES OF YOUR LIFE AMERICAN RED CROSS SHELTERS OPEN UP WHEN YOU’RE FORCED TO EVACUATE AND DON’T HAVE A PLACE TO GO SHELTERS ARE EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE ALL YOUR BASIC NEEDS STEVEN WALSH RECOMMENDS MAKING A LIST OF EVERYDAY ITEMS. YOU’LL WANT WE WANT PEOPLE TO THINK AHEAD ABOUT WHAT DO I NEED TO TAKE WITH ME SO THAT I’M COMFORTABLE AND CARED FOR ONCE WE GET TO A SHELTER OR SOMEWHERE SAFE AD MEDICINE A CELL PHONE CHARGER EVEN COMFORT ITEMS. OUR PET OR CHILDREN IN YOUR GO BAG TOYS FOR A CHILD TO KEEP THEM OCCUPIED BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU’RE IN A SHELTER FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND IT CAN GET A LITTLE MONOTONOUS AND BORING FOR KIDS. THINK ABOUT THINGS FOR YOUR PET. WHETHER IT’S A CHEW TOY THOSE DAYS IN THE SHELTER CAN ADD UP IF YOU LOSE YOUR HOME IT CAN TAKE A WHILE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GO NEXT WHEN YOU’RE IN A RED CROSS SHELTER. WE HAVE TRAINED VOLUNTEERS THAT WILL BE WORKING WITH YOU EVERY SINGLE DAY TO BASICALLY ASSESS YOUR NEEDS AND ASSESS YOUR OPTIONS ON WHERE YOU CAN GO VOLUNTEERS ARE SHELTERING AROUND 100 DAYS DURING WILDFIRE SEASON EACH YEAR AT THIS POINT. SHELTERING IS NOT GOING TO STOP BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO NEED HELP MELANIE HUNTER. OKAY, SIRI 3 NEWS IF YOU WANT TO DONATE TO THE RED CROSS HOLD YOUR CELL PHONE CAMERA UP TO THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN. YOU CAN CHOOSE WHETHER YOU WANT YOUR MONEY TO GO TO THE WESTERN WILDFIRES DISASTER RELIEF OR SIMPLY WHERE IT’S NEEDED MOST ALL OF THESE DONATIONS WILL HELP THE RED CROSS ASSIST PEOPLE IN NEED DURING A CRISIS EVERY YEAR WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS INTO THE NEWSROOM ABOUT FIRE INSURANCE, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HIGH RISK AREAS, AND WE YOUR QUESTIONS RIGHT TO THE EXPERTS KCRA THREES. MARKS GOT THE ANSWERS. NICHOLAS EPISCOPAL IN PARADISE WORDS HAVE MORE MEANING THAN EVER. REALLY MESSING UP AND THE CONGREGATIONS THAT OH, THAT WAS JUST SO WONDERFUL. THEY DON’T HEAR IT AT ALL. IS WHY MUSIC DIRECTOR DIANA LOVE? OKAY, LET’S MEET GO GO FROM WHERE IT SAYS ENDING IS SO FOCUSED ON MAKING EVERY NOTE PERFECT. WE HAD A REALLY ROCKING BAND. YEAH. I REALLY MISS THAT THE CHURCH POPULATION SUFFERED LIKE MOST OF THE TOWN. IT’S ALMOST HARDER THAN LOSING EVERYTHING I OWNED. WAS LOSING THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITY THIS IS IT THIS WAS THIS WAS THE DRIVEWAY. LOVE TO HAS SEEN HER SHARE OF LOSS AND ABOUT. THERE WAS A GARAGE. AND ABOUT HERE WAS THE ENTRANCE INTO THE HOUSE WHEN THE CAMPFIRE ERUPTED FOUR YEARS AGO. I CAME OUT HERE AND I STOOD RIGHT THERE AND I LOOKED UP THERE AND I SAW THIS HUGE PLUME OF SMOKE AND I THOUGHT OH MY GOD, OUR TOWN IS GONE. LOVE GRABBED ALL SHE COULD BUT WHEN SHE RETURNED NOTHING REMAINED, I LOVED THIS HOUSE. I HAD A LOT OF GOOD MEMORIES HERE LOVE WHO WAS RENTING THE HOME UNFORTUNATELY WASN’T PROTECTED. I HAD THOUGHT ABOUT IT LIKE THE WEEK BEFORE, YOU KNOW, I NEED TO GET RENTERS INSURANCE. I WAS LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO DO THAT AND I JUST WAITED TOO LONG. I THINK FOR MOST PEOPLE GETTING INSURANCE IS ESSENTIAL THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE IS CONSTANTLY WORKING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS COVERED INSURANCE REALLY CAN HELP SOMEBODY AND WE’RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S FAIR THAT YOU UNDERSTAND IT. AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU YOU KNOW WHEN YOU RUN INTO TROUBLE WITH AN INSURANCE COMPANY, WE’RE HERE THIS PIECE, WHICH IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT IS NEWER DEPUTY INSURANCE COMMISSIONER. MICHAEL SOLLER SAYS HIS AGENCIES A WATCHDOG OVER INSURANCE COMPANIES MAKING SURE THE RATES REMAIN FAIR AND THAT THEY’RE THERE SHOULD YOU HAVE A DISASTER? WE WANT MONEY BACK IN PEOPLE’S POCKETS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FIRE INSURANCE POLICIES CAN DIFFER FROM THE AMOUNT OF COVERAGE NEEDED TO HELP PROTECT PROPERTY TO MONEY TO HELP COVER EVACUATION. JESUS YOU NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH INSURANCE AND THAT’S CRITICAL THE EXPERTS SAY IT’S GOOD TO TAKE PICTURES OF IMPORTANT ITEMS IN YOUR HOME AND KEEP THEM ON YOUR CELL PHONE OR KEEP ITEMS TOGETHER. YOU’LL KNOW YOU NEED SHOULD YOU HAVE TO DROP EVERYTHING AND LEAVE DO WE WANT TO PUT ANY PLANTS IN HERE? YES, LOVE IS SLOWLY REBUILDING HER LIFE. CAN CHANGE WE’RE SO GRATEFUL TO BE HERE. I MEAN, IT’S A STRETCH ON OUR BUDGET, BUT IT’S A BLESSING THOSE BLESSINGS BELTED OUT EVERY SUNDAY AND THAT WAS THANKFULLY SPARED. SO YES YOUR LOVE SHINE ON IN A PLACE WHERE HOPE IS ETERNAL WE CAN NEVER HAVE BACK WHAT WE HAD. BUT WHAT OUR JOB NOW IS TO TAKE WHAT WE’VE GOT AND BUILD SOMETHING NEW. PERFECT FOR PHOTOJOURNALISTS DREW FOLK, OKAY IT AWAY BEFORE WE MESS IT UP. JASON MARKS. OKAY SIRI, THREE NEWS SOON. NEW LAWS WILL GO INTO EFFECT GIVING HOMEOWNERS BREAKS ON INSURANCE RATES IF THEY MANAGE THEIR PROPERTY TO DEFEND AGAINST FIRES COMING UP WATCHING FOR WIND IN THE FORECAST WHY NORTH WINDS CAN BE SO DANGEROUS DURING FIRE SEASON AND THE SPECIFIC CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE CONCERNING FOR FIREFIGHTERS. YEARS LATER THE TOWN OF PARADISE CONTINUES ITS LONG ROAD TO REBUILDING RECENTLY ONE HOME IN THE COMMUNITY BECAME THE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY TO EARN THE DESIGNATION OF A WILDFIRE PREPARED HOME METEOROLOGIST HEATHER WALDMAN EXPLAINS. WHAT WILL HELP PROTECT THIS HOME. I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO REBUILD AS SOON AS WE FOUND OUT THAT PARADISE WAS GONE PARADISE HOMEOWNER CASEY TAYLOR HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO RETURN TO THE COMMUNITY THAT SHE LOVES FROM THE VERY BEGINNING AS WE ARE MOVING. TO REBUILD THE TOWN OF PARADISE THE GOAL WAS TO REBUILD BACK AS AN EXAMPLE. TAYLOR’S REBUILT HOUSE WAS OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED AS THE COUNTRY’S FIRST WILDFIRE PREPARED HOME BY THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR BUSINESS AND HOME SAFETY THAT DESIGNATION PROVIDES PROOF THAT A HOMEOWNER HAS TAKEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN STEPS TO CREATE DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND MITIGATE WILDFIRE RISK, INCLUDING INSTALLING A CLASS A ROOF USING RECOMMENDED VENTS FOR ATTIC SPACE. AND MAKING LANDSCAPING CHANGES. THEY STILL HAVE THE WOOD FENCE, BUT THERE’S THIS BREAK POINT WHERE THEY GO TO A METAL FENCE WITH ALUMINUM SLATS IN PLACE MOST OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE WILDFIRE PREPARED HOME DESIGNATION ARE ALREADY PART OF STATE CODE, BUT THE BIGGEST UPGRADE IS MAINTAINING FIVE FEET OF NON COMBUSTIBLE SPACE AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF THE HOME ALL OF THESE IDEAS ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT IN THE LABORATORY AND IN POST EVENT. SO WE’VE SEEN OKAY THIS HOME HAD AND LOOK THE EMBERS LANDED AND THEY DIDN’T IGNITE THE HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY. SAY THAT HAVING A STANDARDIZED LIST OF STEPS FOR FIRE MITIGATION COULD HELP HOMEOWNERS ACQUIRE INSURANCE AND MAKE THAT INSURANCE MORE AFFORDABLE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY IF A FIRE COMES TOWARDS THEIR TOWN THEY HAVE THE BEST CHANCE TO BE ABLE TO RETURN HOME CHECKING ALL OF THOSE BOXES FOR THE WILDFIRE PREPARED HOME DESIGNATION TOOK SOME INVESTMENT AND SOME TIME THE TAYLOR SAYS THE EFFORT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT. IN PARADISE, I METEOROLOGIST HEATHER WALDMAN FOR KCRA3 NEWS PARADISE COMMUNITY LEADERS ARE WORKING TO ADD THESE HOME HARDENING STEPS INTO TOWN ORDANCES AS THE REBUILDING CONTINUES ANYONE WHO WANTS TO APPLY FOR THE WILDFIRE PREPARED HOME DESIGNATION CAN START BY GOING TO WILDFIRE PREPARED.COM AND FILL OUT A FREE SELF-ASSESSMENT. NO WIN CAN MAKE FIRE SPREAD FASTER. BUT WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING FOR THAT COULD PROVE CHALLENGING FOR FIREFIGHTERS METEOROLOGIST. JERK FOR DORN. JOINS US TO EXPLAIN. WHEN DEALING WITH WILDFIRES WIND IS ALWAYS A CONCERN BUT WHEN THE WIND BLOWS FROM THE NORTH THE FIRE THREAT INCREASES TREMENDOUSLY THAT IS WHY FORECASTING THE WIND IS SO IMPORTANT IN NORTHERN, CALIFORNIA. SO HERE’S WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A FORECAST. THAT WILL WARN YOU TO AN INCREASE IN FIRE DANGER. IT STARTS WITH PRESSURE AIR FLOWS CLOCKWISE AROUND AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE AROUND AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE. FOR THESE AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE TO LINE UP TO BRING ABOUT A NORTH WIND. USUALLY THE CLOSER THE CENTERS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE. THEY ARE TOGETHER THE STRONGER THE WINDS WILL BE THINK OF HIGH PRESSURE AS A MOUNTAIN OF AIR AND LOW PRESSURE AS A VALLEY SO THE DIFFERENCE IN PRESSURE WILL CREATE THE STRONGER WINDS. JUST REMEMBER THIS THE HIGHER THE HIGH AND THE LOWER THE LOW THE FASTER THE WINDS WILL SO NOW HERE’S A FORECAST. THIS IS A FORECAST MAP THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE DURING A NEWSCAST YOU HAVE AREAS OF HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE. YOU CAN SEE THAT AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AND DROPPING DOWN OVER NEVADA THE WINDS BLOWING AROUND COUNTERCLOCKWISE THE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE, WHICH IS SITTING OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS TYPICAL HAS THOSE WINDS MOVING CLOCKWISE AROUND IT AND IN BETWEEN HERE WE GO SITS CALIFORNIA WITH THE NORTH WIND. THAT NORTH WIND THAT BRINGS THE INCREASED FIRE DANGER SO NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT THE FORECAST CALLS FOR A STRONG NORTH WIND. AND THAT THAT WIND IS ON THE WAY. WHY IS A NORTH WIND DANGEROUS LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AIR TAKES ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SURFACE THAT IT SITS OVER USUALLY IN NORTH WIND BRINGS AIR THAT HAS BEEN SITTING OVER LAND SO IT WILL BE TYPICALLY DRY. THAT MEANS LOW HUMIDITY OFTEN. THE HUMIDITY IS WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. HUMIDITY MAKES THE FUELS LIKE GRASSES DRYER WHICH INCREASES THE FIRE DANGER AND ALSO THAT DRY NORTH WIND DROPS FROM THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS AND AS IT DROPS TO THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS, IT STARTS TO HEAT UP THE TEMPERATURE OF THE AIR WHICH THEN DRIES THE FUELS AND DECREASES THE HUMIDITY EVEN MORE MAKING IT EASIER FOR FIRES TO START THE NORTH WIND ALSO GETS FUNNELED DOWN THE VALLEYS FROM THE SURROUNDING MOUNTAINS AND THE CANYONS AND THAT INCREASES THE SPEED OF THE WIND. AND ACTS LIKE A BELLOWS INCREASING THE AVAILABLE OXYGEN AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANY SPARK TO IGNITE THE DRY FUELS AND ONCE THE FIRE STARTS ITS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP THE STRONG WIND FROM PUSHING THE FLAMES ALONG THE GROUND AT A RAPID PACE AS WELL AS FLINGING ITS EMBERS MILES AHEAD OF THE FIRE LINES CREATING UNPREDICTABLE SPOT FIRES THE DANGER THE NORTH WIND BRINGS TO CALIFORNIA IS REAL AND IT CONTINUES TO GROW AS CALIFORNIA GROWS DRIER THROUGH EACH SEASON BUT HOPEFULLY AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT WEATHER CAN HAVE WILL HELP IN THE PREPARATION PREVENTION AND COMBAT OF THIS DANGER. SO DANGEROUS. YEAH, AND WE GET NORTH WINDS IN- SPRING AND FALL A LITTLE BIT IN- DURING THE SUMMER, BUT WHEN WE GET THEM IN THE FALL, THAT’S WHEN IT’S MOST DANGEROUS BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A DRY ENVIRONMENT AND THAT’S OUR HIGHEST FIRE DANGER IS IN THE FALL. STILL AHEAD PROTECTING HOMES IN CASE OF A FIRE. NOT GIVING A HOME OR THE FIREPLACE IS TO GET INTO THE HOME. CERTAINLY. THE ATTIC IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CONCERN. HOW BUILDERS ARE CHANGING THEIR PLANS FOR NEW HOUSES TO MAKE THEM MORE RESISTANT TO FIRES IN THE FUTURE. REPORTING CALIFORNIA’S WILDFIRE SEASONS ARE LONGER AND MORE SEVERE AND FOR HOMEOWNERS AND HIGH-RISK AREAS. THEY’RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE SURE THEIR PROPERTY IS PROTECTED. KCRA3 METEOROLOGIST TAMARA BERG SHOWS US THE CHANGES BUILDERS ARE MAKING TO SOME OF THEIR NEW HOMES. IT’S A HOUSING BOOM NEW HOMES GOING UP EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE STATE, BUT ARE THESE HOMES FIRE READY? IN EL DORADO HILLS THESE NEW HOMES STAND A FIGHTING. SHOULD A FIRE MOVE THROUGH IT CERTAINLY IS A CONCERN FOR ALL OF US AND CERTAINLY OUR CUSTOMERS AS THEY’RE LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME HOMES BURNING AND ALL OF THEM. THEY APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE FIRE GETS UP UNDER THE EAVES AND SO OUR INDUSTRY HAS WORKED WITH THE LOCAL FIRE AUTHORITIES TO CHANGE SOME OF THE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES AND THE WAY WE BUILD A HOME TO TRY TO REDUCE THAT FIRE RISK. THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT MAKE THESE HOMES SAFER IN THE EVENT OF A WILDFIRE AND LESS EVENT ON THIS ACCORDING TO FIRE OFFICIALS ONE OF THE FIRST LINES OF THE FENCE THESE NEW HOMES HAVE COMES DOWN TO LANDSCAPING. ALL OF THESE HOMES HAVE PLANTS SPACED AWAY FROM THE HOME PROVIDING PROPER DEFENSIBLE SPACE YOUR SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE COMES IN THE FORM OF VENTING JUST LIKE THIS READY TO CATCH EMBERS BEFORE THEY ENTER YOUR HOME. IT’S THE EMBERS COMING OFF THAT FIRE THAT GET UNDER THE ROOF TILES WIND DRIVEN EMBERS LIKE THE ONE SEEN HERE. RECENT WILDFIRE IN ORANGE COUNTY PROVED TO BE A BIG ISSUE ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IN THESE RECENT WILDFIRES IS THAT HOMES ARE BEING DESTROYED NOT BECAUSE THE FIRE BURNS RIGHT UP TO IT, BUT BECAUSE EMBERS ARE RAINING DOWN ON THESE HOMES SOMETIMES FROM A MILE AWAY. CERTAINLY. THE ATTIC IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CONCERN MAKING SURE THAT THE FIRE CANNOT GET IN THERE. SO NOT HAVING ANY PENETRATIONS OR VENTS IN THE EAVES IN THE GABLE ENDS OF THE ROOF. IN THE EVENT OF A WILDFIRE MAKING ITS WAY INTO YOUR HOME. THERE IS A THIRD. OF DEFENSE IT COMES DOWN TO THESE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS. EVERY HOME COMES STANDARD WITH SPRINKLERS A SYSTEM THAT’S HIDDEN IN THE HOME, BUT SET TO GO OFF OF THE TEMPERATURE EVER HITS 100 AND 65 DEGREES INSIDE OF THE HOME. WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY WE’RE BUILDING HOMES TO MEET THE LEVEL OF RISK THAT WE’RE EXPERIENCING IN EL DORADO HILLS. CAMERA BIRD KCRA 3 NEWS. IT TAKES BOTH GOOD DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND HOME HARDENING TO SAVE HOMES AND FIRE OFFICIALS SAY AT HOME THAT’S BUILT TO THIS. TYPE OF CODE IS ABOUT 20% MORE LIKELY TO WITHSTAND A FIRE THAN NOT FOR MORE RESOURCES THAT COULD HELP PROTECT YOUR FAMILY IN CASE OF A FIRE CHECK OUT THE WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS GUIDE ON OUR KCRA3 APP. YOU COULD JUST SCAN THIS QR CODE WITH YOUR PHONE AND THE LINK WILL TAKE YOU THERE AND ON THE GUIDE. WE’VE GOT A COUNTY BY COUNTY INFORMATION FOR YOU AND HOW TO SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS PLUS WHAT TO PUT IN A GO BAG AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE UNDER AN EVACUATION WARNING MARK IS YOU HAVE TOLD US SO MANY. TIMES THERE’S NOT ONLY SPOTTING BUT THERE’S ALSO LONG RANGE SPOTTING WITH THESE EMBERS AND SO YOU GOT TO DO THE HOME HARDENING ON TOP OF THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE AND THEN WHEN A FIRE IS NEAR YOUR HOME NOT NECESSARILY RIGHT CLOSE TO YOUR HOME IF YOU HAVE AN EVACUATION WARNING IT MAY BE TIME TO GO NOT WAITING FOR THE ORDER TO GO MAYBE GO WHEN THE WARNING IS JUST UP BECAUSE AS YOU HEARD THOSE EMBERS CAN TRAVEL A MILE OR MORE STARTING NEW FIRES OR MAKING NEW NEIGHBORHOODS GO ON FIRE. YEAH AND KEEPING THAT. BAG READY AND ALL OF YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS WITH IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR WILDFIRE READY. WE APPRECIATE IT AND STAY SAFE.