Orange County plans to adopt modified "Fight or Flight"

[Ticonderoga]

Yorba Linda, CA – Fire season is a year-round reality, requiring firefighters and residents to constantly be on heightened alert for the threat of wildfire. The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) will hold a wildfire action planning meeting on Wednesday, February 11 from 6 - 9 p.m. at the Yorba Linda
Community Center located at 4501 Casa Loma.

The meeting will address various decisions that will affect you and your home before, during and after a wildfire. The OCFA has been working to modify Australia’s “Leave Early or Stay and Defend” program to meet the needs of the urban interface communities of Orange County. OCFA will introduce its wildfire preparation program on Wednesday. The tragic events of the current firestorms in Australia re-emphasize the need for community action and preparation ahead of the wildfires.

“Residents need to prepare their families for a quick and safe evacuation,” says OCFA Fire Chief Chip Prather. “We will provide the necessary information needed to make those important decisions.” The meeting and vendor expo will cover defensible space, ignition resistive construction features,
and the latest technology that could help your home.

Residents can also learn about “trigger points” to leave early and evacuate.


http://imgs.sfgate.com/c/pictures/2007/10/24/mn_calif_wildfire_cadp102.jpg

I see bad things in the future.

[Bushwhacker]

Not Raggin on the Aussie's But i will have to say that there plans have not been working that well. I Do like the idea Doing it now instead of After something like that hits us.

[wombat]

Seems to be some misconception of this problem.

Marysville is typical of the towns lost and where 100 people perished.
Marysville consists of a road to the North and one to the South. South takes you on the Black Spur via Narbethong to Healsville. I travel on it frequently during the winter to Marysville and the nearby Lake Mountain Cross Country Skiing venue. It is very narrow and during the winter frequently clogged by cars. The road North to Alexandria is a bit better but still narrow and limited to the amount of traffic it can take. Neither road would be good to be caught on in a fire and people were killed in 1939 trapped in cars. I believe a full evacuation of residents in the area would take in excess of 24 hours and I believe the fire impacted this area less than 3 hours after starting. Logistically a full evacuation is not possible within the time frame.

In 2003 we had several days to prepare Benambra and Omeo for an approaching fire. It was enough time to prepare fire breaks and conduct back burns so little was lost.

I use the moniker "wombat" for a reason. A wombat hole is the firefighters option of last resort down under. I would take that anyday rather than be caught on a winding mountain road.

[Bushwhacker]

I have been watching the vid's from down there, I have nothing but respect for you guys.