| News Release |
| Release Date: |
05/08/2012 |
Release Time: |
5:04 PM |
| Contact: |
Cheri Patterson
Public Affairs Bureau
951-940-6985
|
Subject: |
JOIN US FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA KICK OFF EVENT |
Full Text:
JOIN US FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA KICK OFF EVENT
Of Wildfire Awareness Week
FRIDAY MAY 11TH, AT 11:00 AM
AT THE HEMET RYAN AIR ATTACK BASE
4710 WEST STETSON AVENUE
HEMET
Riverside County- Devastating wildfires threaten California every year, and to ensure Californians are ready, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. declared May 6-12, 2012 as ¿Wildfire Awareness Week¿.
CAL FIRE is taking advantage of Wildfire Awareness Week to remind residents of the dangers from wildfires and the simple steps they can take to prepare for them.
¿Despite a rainy March, this year¿s overall precipitation is below average,¿ said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE Director. ¿As a result of the dry winter, the number of wildfires that CAL FIRE firefighters have responded to is nearly three times that of last year.¿
According to the state¿s final snow survey on May 1, the statewide snowpack water content is only 40 percent of normal. From January to April, CAL FIRE crews have responded to over 800 wildfires, nearly two and half times the number in 2011 when there were approximately 300. This year¿s number of wildfires is above the five-year average as well, where the average is over 600 wildfires.
This year's theme for Wildfire Awareness Week is once again the nationwide fire preparedness campaign of "Ready, Set, Go!". Being "Ready" for a wildfire starts by creating 100 feet of Defensible Space and hardening your home with fire-resistant building materials. "This week is a great time for residents to start getting themselves ready for the upcoming summer months," said Chief Pimlott. "Getting ready before a wildfire by creating defensible space and hardening your homes, is a vital first step in giving your property a fighting chance of surviving a wildfire."
¿Riverside County is no stranger to large and potentially devastating wildfires, help our firefighters to protect your families and property by hardening your homes and being prepared year around.¿ said Chief John R. Hawkins, Riverside Unit Chief.
¿ReadyforWildfire.org is a user friendly website that is invaluable tool for wildfire preparedness.¿ The site offers tips for residents to make their homes more resistant to wildfires and to ensure that their families are ready to evacuate early and safely when a wildfire strikes.
In addition to the presentation & Speakers we will have static equipment displays, demonstrations and tours of the airbase.
Reporters will have the opportunity to try their hand at being a wildland firefighter.
For more information visit www.fire.ca.gov or www.ReadyForWildfire.org or www.rvcfire.org
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