Thousands of weather radios handed out to North Bay residents ahead of wildfire season
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Fire season is beginning to make headlines again, even though Spring has barely sprung. CalFire reports 717 wildfires already this year, compared to 608 by this date last year, almost 10% higher.
Now, there's an innovative North Bay program that will provided yet another form of early warning.
With our lack of rain, fire season is already underway and looks to be earlier, more intense and longer than most.
12,000 weather radios were handed out to North Bay residents on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. (Photo: Ben Cruz/KTVU)
Wednesday was another bone dry day in Santa Rosa with little prospect of any meaningful rain going forward. That was a major reason Santa Rosa officials handed out thousands of free emergency alert radios in Oakmont Village, a senior community of 4,500, often plagued by wildfires.
"With all the different fires and the different things that we've had, hopefully this will keep us up to date," said Oakmont resident Ruth Levy.
Neighbor Jerry Jacobs said, "We've been through a lot up here, in recent years and one of the issues has been getting adequate communication about conditions.
12,000 weather radios were handed out to North Bay residents on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. (Photo: Ben Cruz/KTVU)
A first of its kind FEMA grant, allows the city to hand out 12,000 battery powered radios: retail value $30 each.
"I'm happy with the radio free, for information, for everything I learned. It's good," said Anna Avila. "It's gonna help a lot of people. It's necessary. I have an old one that's about ready to give out," said Barbara Nelson.
The radios will also to be handed out in Santa Rosa's other threatened wildland/urban interface districts; Rincon Valley, Bennett Valley, Fountain Grove, Skyhawk and Montecito Heights all of which were attacked by the Tubbs, Kincaid, Nuns and Glass fires.
"That's the beauty of these is that they can be activated remotely, obviously, but without relying on cell serve and power," said Santa Rosa Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal.
12,000 weather radios were handed out to North Bay residents on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. (Photo: Ben Cruz/KTVU)
The radios also alert to National Weather Service watches and warnings for all severe weather phenomena including fire, heat and wind. "And, it's not in place of, it's in addition to all the other notifications tools," said Lowenthal.
"They have 'SoCo' alerts. They have other things that they have through their cellphones, the 'WEA' alerts," said Santa Rosa Mayor Chris Rogers.
Weather researchers have all the proof they need to be worried.
12,000 weather radios were handed out to North Bay residents on Wednesday, April 7, 2021. (Photo: Ben Cruz/KTVU)
"We've been sampling this one are for 13 years and this is the first April where we had no new growth. The fuels are starting off so dry in the spring, they're only going to get drier through the summer," said SJSU Fire Weather Research Lab Director Craig Clements.
Millions of California trees are already drought, disease and insect infested, making them weak and highly fire prone which can make fires much worse.