Preparing for an early wildfire season

FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KRON) - Saturday, May 1 is Wildfire Preparedness Day.

Fire agencies are reminding everyone to take some time to make sure your home and property are safe and you have an emergency plan for this early fire season.

A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Solano County effective Sunday, May 2.

One neighborhood has been evacuated before due to a grass fire.

KRON4 spoke with one resident who experienced some close calls.

"We were ready last time because the fires were on the other side of the hill, so we knew it was coming, so we were prepared last time. But the first time it happened within a matter of minutes," said Fairfield resident Jake Orton.

That's why Orton's camper is packed year-round.

"You're just ready to go at a moment's notice. You pack up the things that are important to you as far as your family, maybe a few picture here and there, but everything is replaceable. As long as I got my family and we jump in my trailer and we head out," Orton added.

In 2018, a grass fire burned behind his home.

Since then, there's been more initiative taking care of the dry grass.

Orton says the hills were just trimmed Friday to lower the fuel.

Dry and windy conditions are in the forecast for Solano Count beginning Sunday into Tuesday.

"We're already in drought conditions, our fuels have already cured, we're ripe for wildfires to start early this year, so we want to make sure that people get the word out that people are prepared early and have themselves and their homes ready for what may happen," said Larry Palmer, Battalion Chief of the Fairfield Fire Department.

The agency is reminding residents the daunting task to prepare for the worst.

Last August, the LNU Lightning Complex Fire burned through Solano County.

With little warning, the fire came from the Winters area, through Napa County into Vacaville, and eventually into Fairfield.

"You can't be too prepared so we can't start preparing too early for these things to happen. Outside of that when we ask people to evacuate it's important to evacuate and be prepared to do that," Palmer added.

Fire agencies are urging people to sign up for Nixle emergency alerts for real-time information.

For more fire preparedness tips from the Fairfield Fire Department, click here.

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3ufxhdE