The Firewise USA® program, led by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), offers a structured approach for communities to enhance their wildfire resilience in California
This initiative promotes collaborative efforts among residents, local fire departments, and other key stakeholders to bolster the fire resistance of homes and surroundings
BONNIE BRIER FIREWISE MISSION STATEMENT
The Bonnie Brier Firewise Community was established in February 2026
The mission of the Bonnie Brier Firewise community is to safeguard lives, property and the unique natural landscape by fostering wildfire resilience through education, collaborative planning, and the implementation of proven fire-adaptive practices
We foster community involvement by building partnerships and finding resources to mitigate fire danger
OUR VALUES
Resourceful – We use our individual expertise, and our collective knowledge to seek resources to support our neighborhood to prepare for wildfires and other emergencies
Responsive – We are responsive to our neighbors and community needs
Collaborative – We come together as a community to support our neighbors in wildfire preparation and emergency response
WHAT CAN YOU DO AS A BONNIE BRIER FIREWISE COMMUNITY MEMBER
Participation in Community Events
Participate in the twice a year Bonnie Brier Workdays to trim/remove vegetation in community areas and complete road/bridge repair
Track/Record personal expenses and time in home hardening and fuel reduction on your own homestead
Each household will collect data to be shared twice a year to support renewal of the Firewise certification application
Collect data using the Tracking Sheet
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Bonnie Brier Firewise Certificate 2026
Bonnie Brier Firewise Map 2026
Firewise Walk-though on 2-5-2026 by Boulder Creek Fire Chief Mark Bingham
WHAT CAN EVERYONE DO TO PREPARE
For 5’ around your home: Nothing Flammable
Think rock or something nonflammable next to the house.
Clean roof and gutters. Get rid of anything that can ignite.
Remove plants or trees leaning against home or flammable deck.
For 30’ around your home: Clean and tidy.
Rake up some of the duff, clean up
For 100’ around your home, and 75’ downhill and 25’ uphill from a road: Reduce fuels and remove fuel ladders
Cut your weeds and remove brush or shrubs that are under bigger trees.Remove dead trees.
Remove spindly trees growing into the canopy.
Limb up the bottom branches on big trees. No need to clear-cut the forest, keep the big trees.
4. Put in a green reflective address sign and add blue reflective tape to your fire hydrant.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Emergency preparedness is a continuous cycle of planning, organizing, training, and equipping designed to minimize the impact of disasters. It involves proactively identifying local risks, establishing clear communication and evacuation strategies, and stockpiling essential survival supplies before a crisis occurs.
Are You Ready to Evacuate in an Emergency? – Learn How to Prep a “Go-Bag”
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES
- Prepared, Not Scared – Wildfire Preparation Worksheet and Emergency Evacuation Guide
- Ready, Set, Go – Your Personal Wildfire Action Plan
- Wildfire – Ready, Set, Go – Evacuation Plan
- Red Cross – Preparing for Disaster for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs
- Red Cross – Disaster Preparedness for Seniors by Seniors
- FEMA – Fire Safety Checklist for Caregivers and Older Adults
- FEMA – Sesame Street Fire Safety Program – Family Guide
- AARP – Prepare for an Emergency or Disaster with Your Pet in Mind
EMERGENCY INFORMATION & RESOURCES
- Boulder Creek Fire Department
- Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office
- San Lorenzo Valley Emergency Network (SLVEN) – educates, organizes, and coordinates to prepare for and respond to emergencies particularly to natural disasters
- Evacuation Zone – BOU-E035
- CruzAware – Emergency and non-emergency alert and warning system for residents of Santa Cruz County
- Watch Duty – (app for phone) Real-time Wildfire Map & Alerts
- CalFire Incident Information – Emergency responses in California
- Purple Air – Current Air Quality Index
- SAFER – Situational Awareness for Emergency Response
- Scanrad.io – Listen to local fire dispatch radio traffic. Select Cal Fire CZU Local on the left side bar, then a line item with desired time stamp period
- Alert California – View wildfire cameras throughout our area and beyond
- Pulsepoint – Provides notifications during emergencies
- Flightrader24 – Live air traffic updates
- 511.org – Bay Area Traffic Information
- FireDispatch – Detailed information about medical and fire emergencies
- PG&E Power Outage Map
- SigAlert – Traffic Map
- 211 Santa Cruz County – Help with a variety of issues
- Red Cross
- FEMA
- Santa Cruz County River Monitoring Sites – Flood Related Information
- Earthquake Warning for California – Get Alerts and Notifications
- My Shake App – Earthquake Early Warning Alerts and Notifications
- USGS Earthquake Map
HOME HARDENING
Home hardening is the process of retrofitting or building a home with non-combustible materials and preventative construction practices to increase its resistance to natural disasters, primarily wildfires, severe storms, and hurricanes
How to Prepare Your Home for Wildfires – Firewise USA
HOME HARDENING RESOURCES
- CalFire – Home Hardening – Address your home’s vulnerabilities to better withstand wildfires
- CalFire – Low Cost Retrofit List for Home Hardening
- University Nevada – Be Ember Aware
- Is Your Home Hardened to Survive a Wildfire Ember Storm?
- University Nevada – Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide
- Home Hardening and Wildfire Preparedness Community Event Video – April 2026
- Santa Clara County Fire Safe Council – Home Hardening
DEFENSIBLE SPACE
Defensible space is the buffer zone created between a structure and the surrounding natural vegetation. By clearing, reducing, or replacing combustible fuels, this space slows or stops the spread of wildfires, shields the home from radiant heat, and provides a safer working area for firefighters.
DEFENSIBLE SPACE RESOURCES
- Summary of Draft Zone 0 Regulation Language – April 2026
- Tree Mortality – Reduce Your Wildfire Risk
- CalFire Tree Removal Information
- CalFire – Defensible Space
- CalFire – Fuels Reduction
- US Fish & Wildlife Service – Fire Management and Invasive Plants Handbook
- Fire Chief Debunks Your Worst Fear Video
- Fire Safe Marin – Fire Chief Debunks Defensible Space Myth Video
- CalFire – Updated Zone Zero Information Video
- Board of Forestry News Release – Zone Zero
- Fire Safe Marin – Living with Fire: Creating Defensible Space Video
- Fire Safe Marin YouTube Channel – Educational Videos
- Santa Clara Fire Safe Council – Creating Defensible Space
- Reducing Wildfire Risks in the Home Ignition Zone
- Fire Safe San Mateo County – Shaded Fuel Breaks
GENERAL RESOURCES
- Boulder Creek Fire Department
- Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County
- Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District (RCD)
- California Insurance Commission – “Safer from Wildfires”
- UCSC Wildfire Games – A collection of minigames to help raise awareness, improve preparedness, and create resilience in the face of disasters from wildfire
- Santa Cruz County Fire Department
- Living With Wildfire – A Guide for Residents of Santa Cruz County
- Home Ignition Zone Program – Free Home Wildfire Safety Evaluation
- CalFire – California Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Toolkit
- CalFire Ready for Wildfire
- CalFire – Prevention: One Less Spark – One Less Wildfire
- CA Department of Insurance – Wildfire Recovery and Readiness
- Fire Safe Council of Santa Cruz County – What you can do to protect your home Video
- USDA & US Forestry – Wildfire Risk to Communities
- The Mercury News Article – June 2026 – Few roads out, higher wildfire risk: New study maps Bay Area evacuation danger
INSURANCE RESOURCES
- NFPA – Notice to California Residents Regarding Firewise – Insurance Discounts
- United Policyholders – Home Insurance Shopping Help (California)
- CA Department of Insurance – California FAIR Plan
- FAIR Plan – Wildfire Hardening Discounts
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES & CONTRACTORS
- Reflective Address Signs through Zayante Fire Department
- Online Reflective Address Signes – Safetysign.com
- Big Creek Lumber
- Sunderland Tree Service
- Silvano Guzman Yard Cleaning