Welcome!
We are a group of neighbors who in September of 2018, started to advocate for a safer El Cerrito in regards to wildfire. Close to half of El Cerrito has been designated as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) by CalFire.
Our concern started with the very neglected eucalyptus groves in Hillside Natural Area (HNA) and quickly grew to the need for evacuation routes, concern over the very dangerous fuel in Wildcat Canyon, private property with severely overgrown vegetation including Camp Herms and Berkeley Country Club and unsafe vegetation in HNA besides the eucalyptus groves and in other areas on city property.
We have attended the city council meetings, speaking at all but one since September, have met individually with the city council members, the city manager and the Fire and Police Chiefs. We have written a letter to the governor that was signed by 60 El Cerrito households. We have met with Assembly Member Wicks, the District Director for State Senator Skinner and with County Supervisor John Gioia.
We will continue to push for greater reduction in hazardous vegetation throughout the entire city and for public education on why it is so important.
Why are we doing this? We don’t want to burn, don’t want El Cerrito to be added to the list of communities in ashes. We do not want a horrific wildfire here. The experts say it is “not if, but when” We can control the fuel load in the necessary triangle for fire to burn. Controlling the fuel load and having evacuation routes clear of burning vegetation is the only chance we have. We are a neighborhood group and we love living here. This is home. Our love of this community keeps us going to lessen the chance of a firestorm occurring here.
Please join us. Attend the city council meetings, send emails about your concerns to the council, city manager and any other city officials that you feel should hear your concerns. Talk to your neighbors, find out who will need help in case of an evacuation, encourage and help each other reduce vegetation fuel. Be ready, take the CERT class.
Make El Cerrito Fire Safe is a politically neutral group. We do not endorse candidates as a group. However, individual members may endorse a candidate, but may not use Make El Cerrito Fire Safe after their name when endorsing a candidate.
Sue and Paul Duncan, Founders
(510)334-0520
Steering Committee
Jim Dolgonas
Michael Fischer
Anna Ippolito
Audrey Liese
Gary Prost
Brian Richmond
Sandra Sprague
Kay Starkweather
Scott Tipping
Nick Zamorano
Our Current Projects:
*We will continue to educate EC residents about the best practices for house hardening and defensible space in yards to decrease the risk of their house igniting.
* We continue to advocate for signed evacuation routes, evacuation drills, strict, enforced vegetation management along roads and restricted parking on Red Flag days on narrower streets to help with traffic flow of outgoing fleeing residents and incoming firefighting equipment.
*We will request that the city council adopt a resolution that wildfire prevention and disaster preparedness is a top priority of the city. The cities of Oakland and Berkeley passed similar resolutions in 2019.
*We’re advocating for stronger, more concise vegetation management standards on the ECFD website.
*We have a member on the multi-city JPA steering committee which is pushing ahead to form an Alameda-Contra Costa JPA for consistent, science-based vegetation management across the East Bay Hills.