How is Cambria combating fire risks? SLO County grand jury seeks progress report
In early 2017, the San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury published a report about fire risks in Cambria.
That report, titled “Is it five minutes to midnight in Cambria? An update on the risk of catastrophic fire,” was updated in 2018.
Now, having received updates on fire, emergency and evacuation services, the current jury now “strongly recommends” that their 2022-23 successors launch a new investigation to verify that corrective actions have been taken or are significantly underway.
In its original 2017 report, the grand jury called for the Cambria Community Services District to conduct maintenance and flow testing for all fire hydrants, as well as change its fire code to require the removal of dead trees from private properties.
Jurors also advised adding signs to facilitate evacuation in emergencies, updating streets that are too narrow for emergency vehicle access and parking, and expanding Reverse 911 notifications.
Other recommendations included continuing grant seeking for funding to reduce hazardous fuel levels, and developing, reviewing and adopting a strategic fire plan.
The continuity report, issued Nov. 17 by the 2021-22 grand jury, repeats some of the enhancement actions Cambria CSD general manager John Weigold included in his April response to the jury.
In that response, he itemized actions he said the district has taken in the past four years.
Those tasks include fire hydrant work as well as removing hazardous fuels in conjunction with Cal Fire, the San Luis Obispo County Community Fire Safe Council, the Cambria Fire Safe Focus Group, San Luis Obispo County and private landowners.
The CSD has partnered with Cal Poly and the county’s Fire Safe Council to do detailed studies of Cambria’s evacuation routes and timelines, Weigold said.
In addition, the district is working on having an active Reverse 911 system and encouraging residents with smartphones to sign up for the voluntary NIXLE alert system, he stated in his response.
How can Cambria reduce fire risks?
Making dead tree removal mandatory would be economically devastating for some residents, since recent ecological reports estimate that 40 to 80% of the rare native Monterey pines in Cambria’s large forest are dead or dying.
Cambria is served by the Cambria Fire Department and Cal Fire. The Fire Safe groups are also actively involved in fire prevention planning.
Weigold wrote in his letter said the community’s strategic plan doesn’t yet include specific fire department-related improvements related to the district’s three-year goals — improved communication, financial resiliency, balancing growth and resources and developing long-term infrastructure.
However, the district and fire departments are aggressively pursuing solutions.
According to the district’s reply to the grand jury, “Many of the fire department internal goals can be loosely connected and identified under one of these categories within the next few months.”
The strategic plan is due to be reviewed in a few months.
Weigold wrote that “we are planning to push for a high level of clarity and inclusion specific to that of the fire department.”
