Scottsdale Fire Department hosts 1 of 2 Wildfire Mitigation Town Halls
Staff Writer | Mayor of Scottsdale
The Scottsdale Fire Department is gearing up for wildfire season in ‘The West’s Most Western Town’ this spring as the first of two community meetings were held at The Homestead at DC Ranch alerting residents to how they can work together — with fire officials — to help mitigate the risks of wildfire.
Witnessing the devastation of the most recent wildfire disaster in the Pacific Palisades of California, Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky says that making sure the city — and the heroes of the local fire department — are as prepared as possible as wildfire season arrives is a paramount priority.
“Watching the wildfires decimate southern California on television was devastating for all.” Mayor Borowsky said of her priority to be proactive with wildfire mitigation efforts in Scottsdale.
“Continuing to be vigilant, while advancing all our efforts, to ensure that our community remains safe in the face of wildfire threats is a top priority for my administration. We are extremely focused on this serious concern and we are actively working with City leadership and our fire department to further develop the Scottsdale Wildfire Brigade.”
Read the full presentation delivered by Scottsdale Fire Department officials HERE.
In addition to strengthening the volunteer presence in this cause, Mayor Borowsky points out, Scottsdale City Council is considering an amendment to local Natural Area Open Space (NAOS) ordinances allowing members of the local fire department access to overgrown flora and fauna in an effort to clear away fuel for local wildfires.
At the Wildfire Mitigation Town Hall discussion, participants heard about the Scottsdale Fire Department’s response and prevention strategies, city policies in Natural Area Open Space areas, and ways homeowners’ associations and residents can work together to mitigate risks and enhance wildfire resilience.
“We know that we are continuing in this drought period — if you are out in the preserve, you are experiencing that dryness already out there,” Scottsdale Fire Chief Tom Shannon said at the March town hall at DC Ranch. “The best thing we can do is mitigate our risks.”
To mitigate wildfire risks the Scottsdale Fire Department is alerting residents who occupy areas of north Scottsdale, which are zoned Environmentally Sensitive Lands (ESL), to precautionary measures that should be implemented, with the support of our local fire department, to further ensure a safe environment for all residents.
In addition, residents are encouraged to learn all the measures that should be taken to ensure Firewise Communities remain a staple of the local community, especially in North Scottsdale.
Those efforts include:
- The enlistment of community risk reduction officers
- Hosting meetings with HOAs and residents on wildfire mitigation efforts
- The fire department includes a fire safety guidelines letter included in every building plan review
- Regular meetings with local home builders on existing and emerging wildfire dangers
- Active fuel reduction on the perimeter of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve
- Enhancement of Scottsdale Fire’s volunteer force through the establishment of the “Volunteer Fire Brigade”.
Revealed during the March Wildfire Mitigation Town Hall, fire department officials pointed out local experts have conducted 200 construction site inspections last calendar year and fire crews have assessed 37,700 local properties for hazardous vegetation during the same time period.
Fire department officials report last calendar year about 100 Scottsdale homes in the northern region of the community — an area with the majority of threat to wildfire devastation — participated in home safety defensible space assessments.
“We want to make sure in our prevention plans, we are talking about fire flow pathways,” Chief Shannon said of modeling done to understand how fire would flow through the northern region of the community.
“We are in the preliminary stages of our wildfire mitigation efforts as its an annual cycle that we are entering into right now.”
For Scottsdale Senior Planner Jesus Murillo, he says the local Firewise program is working to implement the defensible spaces allowed or promoted by the ESL ordinance.
Wildfire and land area experts on hand during the March HOA town hall included:
- Scottsdale Fire Prevention Services Assistant Fire Chief Kerry Swick
- Scottsdale Fire Marshal Kristy Gagnon
- Scottsdale Emergency Manager Jacob Johnson
- Scottsdale Fuels Management Manager David Ramirez
- Scottsdale Fire Operations Assistant Fire Chief Clint Steeves
- Scottsdale Senior Planner Jesus Murillo
- Scottsdale Interim Water Director Kevin Rose
- Scottsdale Police Assistant Chief Rich Slavin
