With summer just around the corner, staying safe from wildland fires and learning how to handle them properly is essential. Because at the right time, wildland fires can have many benefits, including enriching the soil, reducing plants and bushes that can fuel more extensive fires, and improving wildlife habitat overall. But wildfires can destroy homes, habitats, and communities and cause havoc when they happen at the wrong time.
Therefore, tomorrow, Thursday, June 15, the Chula Vista Fire Department is partnering with the San Diego County Training Officers Association to conduct wildland firefighting training for firefighters around San Diego County.
According to the fire department’s news release, the meeting will occur at the FAA POGGI site between Santa Luna Street, Magdalena Avenue, La Media Road, and Fleishbein Street. The training will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m.
Residents from that area will be notified about the burn training.
Even though this training is only for firefighters, this is an excellent opportunity to discuss some prevention and safety tips.
Wildfire prevention
According to the National Park Services Website, humans start 85% of wildfires. To give a more precise idea, out of the 58,950 wildfires in the U.S. in 2020, humans caused 50,000.
1. Therefore the first step is to be conscious of our environment and the hazards we can cause.
2. If you are camping, build a campfire away from flammables, don’t leave a fire unattended, and check for weather conditions ( if it’s windy, be MORE cautious).
3. And in any circumstance, whether camping, hiking or just passing by, always remember that what you throw on the floor could be the start of a destructive wildfire; throw all trash in trash cans.
What to do if there is a wildfire near you
1. Call 911, so proper measures can be taken.
2. Set up an evacuation plan, turn off all valves that supply natural gas, close all doors and windows, and fill containers with water.
3. Gather your pets and essential documents.
4. Protect yourself against smoke.
These are just a few of the prevention measures you can take, for more information, you can check here or any other available resources, https://www.nifc.gov/resources.
