Jacob and County Say Progress Has Been Made in Fighting Future Fires
By E.A. Barrera

The Supervisor Dianne Jacobs said CDF pilots would now be given discretion over water drops at sunset, which was an area of contention in the investigations after the Cedar Fire.

In the wake of the third anniversary of the Cedar Fire, county Supervisor Dianne Jacob and officials with the County Department of Planning and Land Use (DPLU) agree that San Diego is safer and better prepared to handle emergencies than three years ago.

"Thanks to communications upgrades, two firefighting helicopters and many other measures, the San Diego region has improved its ability to fight wildfires," said Jacob in an Oct. 25 statement.

As the third anniversary of the 2003 Cedar, Paradise and Otay fires were observed, both Jacob and the county sought to showcase improvements made since that firestorm. This time of year is especially ripe for wildfire, as was proven by the wildfire in Warner Springs on Oct. 29. Local wildfire history demonstrates how deadly and destructive the holiday season can be in terms of fire.

In addition to the Cedar fire of October 2003, which swept through Ramona, Lakeside, Harbison Canyon and Crest - burning close to 300,000 acres and killing 15 people - many residents of East and North County can recall the Viejas Fire of January 2001, which burned over 10,000 acres. Long-time county residents will be able to go back to September 1970, when the Laguna Fire torched close to 200,000 acres of backcountry hillside - darkening the sky to such an extent that one could see ash falling as far west as San Diego State University.

Photos by Darrel Kinney

The DPLU noted that in the aftermath of the Laguna fires, fire codes in San Diego were strengthened. Larger areas of fire breaks surrounding structures and removal of heavy fuel-burning, non-native plants from areas around buildings were part of these steps. While the improved codes did not stop wildfires from occurring, DPLU officials said the improved codes reduced the potential damage to homes and other buildings.

"In the Cedar, Paradise and Otay fires...2,137 homes were destroyed in the county," said DPLU director Gary Pryor in a statement released by his office. "There were approximately 15,000 homes in the burn area; therefore the 'loss' rate was 14 percent. In comparison, there were slightly over 400 homes in the fire-damaged area that were built under the 2001 Fire and Building Codes. Of these more recently built (and more fire-resistive) homes, only 17 were destroyed -- a 'loss' rate of only four percent."

Jacob lauded the changes made to county fire standards and emergency procedures, including two new county-owned firefighting helicopters and what she termed a landmark agreement between the military and the California Department of Forestry (CDF), which she said would allow military resources to assist during fires. The supervisor said CDF pilots would now be given discretion over water drops at sunset, which was an area of contention in the investigations after the Cedar Fire as to when after sunset the pilots were forbidden by regulation from flying into a fire area.

Jacob also noted such new entities as the Reverse 911 phone system, which allows the sheriff's department to dial simultaneously hundreds of homes at once for evacuation and notification purposes. Other improvements include upgraded computer and wireless technology in the Emergency Operations Center of the Office of Emergency Services, considered the "never center" during disasters, and a $20.5 million upgrade to the Regional Communications System, the internal radio network used by emergency officials during disasters. The county also launched a Web site - www.sdcountyemergency.com, which posts information in real time as events are taking shape.

Jacob noted that $45 million in federal and county grants used to fight bark beetle infestations through the clearing of dead and diseased trees was utilized, as well as $8.5 million in funds to enhance fire and emergency medical services in parts of the county the supervisor termed "underserved communities in the unincorporated area." She said Indian gaming tribes had also offered millions of dollars in grant funds for unincorporated area fire departments.

Jacob noted that there was still not a single, consolidated San Diego County Fire Department, but further studies on such a department would be coming in 2007.

"No emergency response system is perfect, but ours has made giant strides since the days of the (2003) firestorms. Natural disasters like Katrina remind us that preparing for disaster means preparing for a variety of threats," said Jacob. "It's not a matter of if another disaster will happen; it's a matter of when."