The Threat is Real!
Shelter Cove averages 10 fires a year!
Over the last 10 years, Northern California has been the epicenter for large, damaging wildfires. Any area where the forest meets a development is at risk for a large, damaging fire, and Shelter Cove is just that. The development is bordered by the Bureau of Land Management’s 63,000 acre King Range National Conservation Area to the north and east and the Sinkyone Wilderness State Park to the south.
The Shelter Cove sub-division spreads over 2,640 acres from gently sloping, low lying marine terrace up onto steep ridges as high as 2000 feet and is classic wildland urban interface (WUI or I-Zone) territory. Shelter Cove’s resident population is around 800, spiking to over 1500 during the summer with around 700 homes and businesses.
Fire History
In 1973 the Finley Creek fire burned 13,500 acres from Ettersburg to Shelter Cove in one day. Today this same burn area contains a young brushy forest surrounding hundreds of homes, creating a ticking time bomb…
In June of 2008, a dry lightning storm ignited more than 2,000 fires in northern and central California. Firefighting capacity was overwhelmed. Local resources, including volunteer firefighters, worked to suppress the fires for the first few days until reinforcements could be brought in.
The California National Guard and firefighters from southern California, other states, and even foreign countries were brought in to help. One of these fires, the Paradise Fire, occurred a few miles northeast of Shelter Cove, causing concern that another Finley Creek Fire was about to happen. A large number of firefighting resources were immediately dispatched to this fire and it was contained at 981 acres, sparing Shelter Cove.
4th of July 2013
On the 4th of July 2013, Illegal fireworks ignited a quick moving wildfire that scorched two coastal homes and trapped one resident on the roof of his home. Due to the quick response of the Shelter Cove Fire Department and a nearby fire hydrant, the fire was contained to 5 acres, saving the homes and mitigating the life threat. These rapidly moving fires within the community are the greatest threat to life as most times an evacuation response cannot keep up with the fire spread.
Severe fires of this type have occurred since then, including one in February, and they will certainly occur again in the area — a fact that very few of the new wildland residents fully understand. It is truly a miracle and a testament to the hard work of firefighters that neither homes nor lives have been lost to any recent fires in the area.
Firewise Documents & Forms
Shelter Cove Fire Wise Community
What the RID & Fire Department are doing about it!
Over the last 5 years the RID#1 and the Fire Department have spent over 2 million dollars of both tax and grant funds on wildfire safety and mitigation projects including:
- Updated the entire fire engine fleet with modern wildland capable engine.
- Hiring a full time fire chief and part time fire duty officers.
- Created over 100 acres of shade fuel breaks and fire lines.
- Installed one of the state’s first wildfire evacuation siren systems.
- Cleared brush and branches from over 30 miles of evacuation routes.
- Installed fire safe fuses on our overhead powerlines.
- Implemented a Public Safety Power Shut off Program to reduce the chance of overhead lines starting fires in high wind events.
- And much much more!
How Shelter Cove will maintain recognition as a Firewise Community/USA.
- Having a wildfire expert conduct a wildfire hazard/risk assessment.
- Developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
- Establishing a Firewise Advisory Working Group to address wildfire protection concerns.
- Annually investing 1 volunteer hour - at least $24.14 per dwelling in wildfire protection
work. - Sponsoring an annual Firewise workday involving community members.
- Submitting an annual report documenting Firewise activities
What You Can Do!
Start preparing now!
- Go Bag
- Link to hand out
- Defendable Space & Harden your home
- Create an evacuation plan and practice it.
- Link to RID Evacuation Plan
