Whole industry has awakened to what happened here. Western wildfires getting larger, hotter and more destructive when that fire comes, we want to stop it at the line. Preparation is key. It's become riskier as these years have gone by Tamara Dirk Heather Eileen. Our team of meteorologists tracking conditions changing by the minute, the wind coming out of the southwest as this area of red indicates that it is unhealthy tonight. The strategy to cut down smoke, there's *** definite difference between good and bad smoke, the upgrades that could save your home. What's the number one biggest thing that most homeowners overlook and eight things to pack in *** go bag now. So you're ready at *** moment's notice and when you feel that you need to go, it's time to go in *** KCR. *** three special wild fire ready wildfires can spread very quickly here in northern California. And it's important that you and your family are prepared in tonight's Kra three wildfire ready special. Our team of meteorologists has the information you need when it comes to fire, danger, defensible space and insurance coverage. When it comes to protecting your family home, hardening is vital video from over the mosquito fire last year shows flames crowning off the tops of trees. That's what sends embers flying and it can destroy homes miles away. We got *** look at the latest upgrades that could save your home. If *** fire strikes, just the sight of smoke can be daunting. Especially if you live in an area prone to wildfire. Lake of the pines homeowner. Scott Butterfield has lived here for more than two decades. It's become riskier as these years have gone by today. He's hardening his home to give him and his family the best defense, the more you can clear out that space, the less risk you're going to take. Butterfield hired home hardening solutions, *** company based in Grass Valley to help. We knew that HHS could do the things they're doing, blocking the vents, increasing the defensible space. That's *** huge part. Keep the grass down, fuels down and keep space between the cracks. That's where Connor Ferrell and his crews come in. We'll go through the home with the homeowner and we'll, we'll make *** plan specific to the home. Things like this old vent need to be replaced with something like this offering layers and layers of protection from wildfires. This is *** Vulcan vent and so this Vulcan vent actually swells shut if the heat really hits it. Yes, studies show most homes lost to wildfire are from ember storms, embers can get blown in there during *** wildfire. Farrell searches the property for weak spots and notices *** few dead trees. So we'll start out with suppressed trees. We'll start out with opening the canopy, taking out any brush grass fuel ladder from underneath. We've got an excavator with it. Think of it as like *** really huge weed. So rather than cutting grass, though, it's cutting brush, grinding hazards into mulch decks can also be dangerous. Installing this mesh, stainless steel provides another line of defense, an added layer of protection that could stop the flames and save lives. Ultimately, what we're trying to do is improve survivability. If *** wildfire is burning in your area, you could have just minutes to get out. This is video from two years ago when the cow door fire sparked unprecedented evacuations in South Lake Tahoe. Safety experts say you should be prepared year round whether it's *** severe fire season or not. The Red Cross gave us five tips to help your family evacuate quickly and safely when *** wildfire spreads every minute matters. Preparation for an emergency like *** wildfire is key preparation could keep your family safe. Five tips from Steve Walsh of the American Red Cross. Number one, people should be listening to their local news sign up for emergency alerts in the town they live in. Number two pack *** go bag essentials that you'll need for the next say 48 hours medication, cell phone, batteries, contact information for your family. Three plan, your evacuation route and don't rely on the internet. Sometimes phone lines are down, sometimes the power is down. So it's good for you to plan, let's say two routes to get out of your house in case one of them is blocked. Tip number four, decide who you'll stay with, whether that's family or friends or at *** Red Cross shelter. And lastly trust your gut and get out even if an order hasn't come down. Ultimately, we want you to take the initiative. And when you feel that you need to go, it's time to go important tips that in case of *** disaster could make all the difference. It's an important part of preventing fires. And now *** new study shows how prescribed burns can limit mega fires and also reduce smoke exposure across the entire West coast. Meteorologist Heather Waldman explains, there's *** definite difference between good and bad smoke for cow fire. Good smoke is the kind that can be easily managed during *** prescribed burn versus *** wildland fire where we just have to deal with what the weather is. Assistant Chief, Brian Newman shows us this 500 acre controlled burn project in Amador County. When we burn here, we actually start at the top of the hill and work our way down. Cal fire has been managing this site for over 25 years. It's not *** one time visit. It's *** continual effort that takes many years to get to this point. And for communities near this fire break directly below us, here is the communities of amateur pines and the areas of Buckhorn and Upper Amador County. The smoke from *** few days of prescribed burning is less harmful than the smoke from *** potentially large fire, having, you know, less particulate matter and less dense and it's for *** shorter duration. Researchers across the country are helping to prove that and really at *** fundamental level, it makes sense you're removing the fuel for potential future fires. Dr Makoto Kelp is part of *** group at Harvard working to bridge the gap between fire science and fire policy. We not only need to know where to prioritize prescribed burning, but also these burns have to be big enough in area and size to prevent future wildfire smoke. More strategic burning here can limit our risk for large fires while also reducing the amount of smoke across the US. And that cal fire agrees with prescribed fire really does make *** difference and it really does allow for *** safe stance for our fire personnel to work in and really reduces the intensity of fire as it comes to those prescribed burn areas. I'm meteorologist, Heather Waldman for K three news. When *** fire does start, the weather can play *** big role in just how fast it spreads for situations like that. There has been *** new warning that has been created called *** particularly dangerous situation or PDS. Meteorologist Eileen GV explains what that means. Red flag warnings issued by the National Weather service are one way to convey increased fire risk here in northern California. For one to be issued. Though there needs to be certain criteria in place including sustained winds that will exceed 25 miles an hour or gusts in that higher range. We also talk about humidity lower than 15% in *** red flag warning and both of the higher winds and low humidity criteria need to last longer than three hours. Now, in certain situations, there will be weather conditions that far surpass this criteria where the fire danger is extremely high and that is when it is deemed *** particularly dangerous situation or P DS, you'll see that show up on our maps in this magenta shade here and it looks like this, this is where winds would be steady at 30 miles an hour or higher with gusts likely above 40 miles an hour, humidity would likely drop to critically low levels, even single digit range. And in this scenario, if *** fire should start, it would spread rapidly. It's important to be ready to evacuate if you are in one of these P DS areas, lessons learned after *** destructive fire in the high country, how ski resorts are changing their strategies to protect their property. We had the wildfire plan, that was the model for the ski industry. The fire didn't follow the plan and before we head to break. We want you to take *** look at this important list. These are the eight things that emergency officials recommend you put in that go bag that includes non perishable food, water, cash chargers, medications, documents and *** first aid kit. They say *** lot of people also forget pet supplies, things like food, *** collar and vaccine information. We also have this posted on our website. You can also scan the QR code at the bottom of your screen any time during tonight's special. We'll be right back. Welcome back to our case series three wildfire ready. Special. One of the biggest things that impacts wildfires, of course, is fuel. Meteorologist Dirk joins us to explain why wet seasons and dry seasons could both make for dangerous conditions. Let's start by taking *** look at what makes fire. Well, there's three ingredients. The first one is heat. The second one is oxygen. The third one is fuel. This makes the fire triangle and you need to have all three ingredients to create *** chemical reaction that we call combustion, which is fire. Now, all three of these ingredients are affected by the weather. The first one, oxygen. Well, we have the same amount of oxygen always in the atmosphere but its availability can change when we have *** north wind event, especially during the summer months. It's *** very dry wind. It dries out the fuels, making it so much easier for *** fire to start. Now. Once that fire starts with the wind blowing, it makes the available oxygen increase and it makes that fire grow very rapidly. And so that can be the danger with the north wind. Second is heat. During the summer months, we can have some very hot weather with those triple digits that raises the temperature of the fuels making it easier for *** fire to start and for *** fire to spread. Thirdly, we have fuel, fuel can vary from season to season. We can have more of it and we can have less of it. So let's take *** look at that during *** dry rain season. What that means is that we have less fuel, there's less growth that's going on so less available fuel during *** dry rain season. Now, that also means that our fire season will start earlier because it dries out more rapidly. Also, it can impact the trees. It weakens the trees, makes them more vulnerable to pests and diseases, especially if we have multiple years of dry season, creating *** drought here in northern California. That means *** lot more fuel available when *** fire starts and that can be devastating to the forests. Now, what about if we have *** wet rain season with *** wet rain season? That means we have *** lot more growth and that means that the fire season starts later in the year. But it also means that there's *** lot more fuel that's available for when *** fire does break out and that in turn can also be devastating to the forests here in Northern California. So regardless of whether we have *** wet season or *** dry season, every year can be *** dangerous season with wildfires here in northern California, as we've seen over the past couple of years, major wildfires can have *** big impact on air quality and sometimes bad air quality isn't always obvious. Meteorologist Heather Waldman tells you how to monitor the air quality around you so you can stay safe. The air quality index tracks both ozone and smoke pollution, both of which can have an impact on your health in the short and long term. Even if you don't have any pre existing health conditions, knowing how to check the AQ before you head outside can help you make decisions to keep yourself and your family safe. Here's *** couple of resources that we use here on the KC three weather team. Air dot gov is the epa's website there. You'll find interactive maps showing current readings and forecasts for the next couple of days. There's also *** free mobile app so you can check conditions on the go purple air dot com is another site that uses measurements from homes and businesses in our communities. If any of these dots are purple, that means air quality is at *** level that's unhealthy for all of us red dots would represent pollution levels that would be unhealthy. For somebody with *** respiratory condition. If you want to go high tech, there are many options for in home pollution monitors. Just make sure the ones you're looking at track smoke or find particulates. And sometimes you don't even need the numbers if you walk outside and you can see smell or even taste the smoke in the air. It's *** safe bet that you need to consider taking some extra precautions and stay inside where the air is clean and recirculated. Of course, check your H VAC filters regularly and your car cabin filters too. If you do have to be outside, consider using an N95 mask like this one. I'm meteorologist Heather Waldman for K three news ski resorts in the Sierra are dealing with *** new reality wildfire preps. We headed to twin bridges where the Sierra Tahoe Resort is taking new steps to protect its property. This after the destructive Caldor fire two years ago, for most ski resorts, the summer season is *** quiet time of year for Sierra Tahoe crews are cutting stacking and clearing out burned trees. We had the wildfire plan, that was the model for the ski industry. The fire didn't follow the plan. General manager, John Rice says he'll never forget the day the Caldor fire entered his resort. We could see the fire in the distance. We got *** radio call that it was coming and we had to relocate. Little. Did Rice know that this fire would consume most of the property, these trees torched but still standing. Just one of the many reminders left of the outdoor fire, 80% of the ski part of the resort burned. It's really about being prepared for what's going to potentially happen. I think the sad thing is we now have an example. Unfortunately, of what can happen. Michael Reitzel and ski. California represent 35 resorts across California and Nevada. The organization is helping those resorts prepare for fires. We are in *** forest and with wildfire becoming more and more of *** challenge every year, we need to be prepared as an industry. We've seen what *** destructive fire can do. We certainly don't want to be here again. Rice says working with his insurance company has helped the resort build *** better plan, little openings vents that you wouldn't even think of. So taping those vents, stops those ashes from getting in *** building, going under the stairs and making sure you're cleaning out anything in there that could be flammable. That includes making sure there's defensible space around buildings. Everything we left in the parking lots didn't burn lessons, learned to cope with the new reality. Now, is it the last? Probably not. We've got the whole industry has awakened to what happened here. So as the slopes are empty right now, nature did what it did. Now we need to bring it back at Taho will use this time to continue the clean up make changes where they are needed and chart out *** new path trading in their prison uniforms for fire gear. It makes us feel like we're assets and that we're paying our debt back to society by being out here. Hear from inmate firefighters on the front lines about why for them, firefighting means redemption among the vital firefighting resources we have in northern California are inmate fire crews who work side by side with other crews to keep our community safe case area. Three S Jason marks get *** behind the scenes. Look at how they train and how the work can change their lives. Summer is here in Tehama County. We have fire below us and the threat of wildfire is quickly closing in. It takes *** lot of boots on the ground to fully contain *** wildfire but those boots can only be on the front lines once the men and women in them are certified to do so, they do *** lot of, *** lot of training throughout the week. There are nearly 8000 cow fire firefighters approximately 300 ft from the division break. It's important because when that fire comes and it's burning through into the green, we want to stop it at the line. But for more than 50 years, cow fire crews have gotten help from those who have felt the burn because of their past mistakes. I made *** bad decision. I got, I ran for the police Lawrence Piper. Is serving five years for that bad decision. I'm very thankful, very thankful to be here. He is one of 1600 state inmates looking to right the wrong. So is Michael Williams and for burglary, it's *** good thing to do. Good show that you can do good given the circumstances that you've been through. You understand what you're saying? Where's the cloud in 1946 cal fire teamed up with the California Department of Corrections to provide much needed extra hands. It's important to fulfill *** labor function. There are now 30 labor camps in the state. Each inmate is hand selected. It's *** huge privilege for them to be here. Not all guys are welcomed into this program. Yes. It's better than being behind bars outside. Get to get up with the sun. You know, there's no locked doors. It's another step to society, but it's no walk in the park. We've been out training hard from physical fitness to swinging *** tool, learning about weather, learning about fire, its behavior and how to react to it. The days are long and the work is hard. It's *** challenge but the difference they're making is immeasurable. They got *** lot of heart and they want, they want to succeed. So that's why they're doing this. They're protecting homes, people as disaster strikes and that includes their own lives. It makes us feel great. It makes us feel like we're assets and that we're paying our debt. Back to society by being out here. Let the season begin, boys. Keep it up, Jason Marks and we have more tips that could help you prepare in case of *** fire. If you scan this QR code with your cell phone camera, it will take you to our full wildfire preparedness guide. You'll find links to sign up for emergency alerts plus *** county by county list of resources for your area. Finally, tonight, we want to show you this video from Camino where thousands of tiny trees are growing. This is part of the seedling program by the El Dorado and Georgetown Resource Conservation District. They're growing trees to replace forest burned by the cow door. Fire goal is to reduce the future fuel loads, reduce the hazards that are there with the dead trees and then restore the lands with replanting the forest. He says they'll plant between 125 to 225 trees per acre that depends on the goals of the owner. Not only will these new trees help to improve air quality, but they are also *** good contribution to reliable water supply. Thank you for joining us for our KC. Three wildfire ready specials.