FIREWISE
Wildfire Preparedness for the Mount Hermon Community
Mount Hermon is located in the beautiful Santa Cruz Mountains—an area that also faces a high risk of wildfire. The Firewise program helps neighbors work together to reduce wildfire risk through simple, practical steps around our homes and throughout the community.
By improving defensible space, hardening our homes against embers, and working together on fire-safe practices, we can help protect our neighborhood, our homes, and the people who live here.
Why Firewise Matters
Wildfires in the Santa Cruz Mountains have shown how quickly fire can spread in forested communities like Mount Hermon. While firefighters play a critical role during emergencies, the most effective protection begins long before a fire starts.
Firewise helps communities:
- Reduce the risk of homes igniting during a wildfire
- Improve safety for residents and firefighters
- Encourage neighbors to work together on vegetation management
- Maintain a more fire-resilient community
Firewise is a national program supported by the National Fire Protection Association that helps communities organize wildfire preparedness efforts and track the work residents are doing to reduce risk.
Find Your
Firewise Neighborhood
Mount Hermon participates in the Firewise program through several neighborhood sites. Each site has a volunteer leader who helps coordinate communication, share resources, and track community efforts.
Mount Hermon Firewise sites and corresponding site-leaders include:
- Mount Hermon Northwest
- Wendy Lord (Highland, Woodmill, East Zayante Road)
- Karin Gallagher (Acacia, Canyon, Lilac, Woodwardia)
- Mount Hermon West
- Pine-Ridge
If you're unsure which Firewise site your home belongs to, you can check the neighborhood map or contact the Firewise team for help.
To determine whether you are in or close to an existing Firewise USA Recognized community, enter your address in the search box of the Firewise Mapping Viewer.
To continue being qualified as a Firewise community, residents must submit their hours and dollars spent on Wildfire preparedness by October 21st of every year to their site leader (listed above).
Contact your insurance company.
Submit the following documents to your insurance agent:
- Current Firewise Certificate
- Mount Hermon Northwest Firewise Certificate
- Mount Hermon West Firewise Certificate (link coming soon)
- Pine-Ridge Firewise Certificate
- Note: Forms say last year (year issued), but they cover the current year.
- Proof of residence in a NFPA-approved area (SLV Firewise Communities Map)
Insurance companies may request further proof that you are a member of a Firewise Community.
Some insurance companies give additional fire prevention discounts. For the CA Fair Plan, see Wildfire Hardening Discounts.
If you are not already part of a Mount Hermon Firewise site, you can either:
1) Join an existing site. Contact the closest Firewise site and ask what you need to do to join.
2) Start your own site. For instructions, email a Mount Hermon site leader and read:
What Residents Can Do
Small actions taken by each household can make a big difference in reducing wildfire risk across the community.
Around Your Home
Simple maintenance can help prevent embers from igniting your home.
- Clear leaves and pine needles from roofs and gutters
- Keep decks, patios, and porches free of flammable debris
- Trim tree branches away from roofs and chimneys
- Move firewood and other combustible materials away from structures
Around Your Property
Maintaining defensible space helps slow the spread of fire.
- Remove dead plants and dry vegetation
- Trim lower branches on trees
- Reduce “ladder fuels” that allow fire to climb into tree canopies
- Keep driveways and access routes clear for emergency vehicles
- Obtain a reflective address sign (learn more about getting a discounted sign from Zayante Fire)
Home Hardening
Some home improvements can significantly reduce the risk of embers entering or igniting a structure.
- Install ember-resistant vents
- Use fire-resistant roofing and siding materials
- Enclose open eaves and decks
- Upgrade windows to tempered glass when possible
Free Home Assessment
Get a Free HIZ (Home Ignition Zone) from Firesafe Council of Santa Cruz
Upon request, a volunteer HIZ Assessor will visit your site and conduct a guided walk through with the resident in order to provide real-time feedback and address questions and concerns specific to your property. The assessment provides educational information related to Home Hardening and Defensible Space.
Visit firespacesantacruz.org, to learn more.
Report Your Firewise Work
Mount Hermon maintains its Firewise recognition by tracking the time and resources residents invest in wildfire preparedness each year.
This can include:
- Time spent clearing vegetation or maintaining defensible space
- Home improvements that increase fire resistance
- Participation in community clean-up or mitigation events
- Money spent on wildfire safety upgrades
Residents are encouraged to report their hours and projects each year so our community can maintain its Firewise status.
Keep track of your “investment” hours and money that you spend on wildlife resilience. Site leaders will create and send you a form to fill out with your investment hours and money. Return this form to your site leader before October 21st each year.
Resources
- CruzAware, Santa Cruz county's emergency alert system
- Genasys App, location-based emergency information
- Pulsepoint, Central Fire District and Cal Fire dispatch feeds to notify you of nearby emergencies
- Watchduty, A volunteer-driven wildfire mapping and alert app providing real-time fire locations, evacuation zones, air-quality overlays, and shelter information across California
Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program. This comprehensive site includes information on how to make your property more fire resilient.
Fire Safe Marin's site contains many useful resources including videos. We recommend checking it out!
Forest Lakes Fire and Safety Resources. For videos and fire warning apps
Join Felton's Firewise Facebook Group here.
- Lynn Sestak: [email protected] or
[email protected] (Firewise Coordinator and HIZ Assessor). Lynn Sestak can
schedule a “Lets Go Firewise” zoom presentation to start a site. - One of the Mount Hermon site leaders, listed above.
- Craig Winters: [email protected] (Site leader, Felton Lakes)
Obtain a reflective address sign (learn more about getting a discounted sign from Zayante Fire)
An online group designed to enhance connection, communication and sense of community for people interested in Firewise USA recognition to help reduce wildfire risk for their communities in the South SF Bay mountains area. Join here.