LAKE COUNTY – The County of Lake and the Lake County Fire Safe Council will sponsor a series of 10 community meetings throughout Lake County, beginning Monday, Oct. 20, and running through Thursday, Oct. 30. The meetings are being held as part of the upcoming Lake County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).

The purpose of these meetings is twofold: first, to educate residents regarding fire safety, defensible space, and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan; and second, to learn from community members about local wildfire risks and hazards, and their priorities for addressing these issues.

Residents will have the opportunity to provide input into how wildfire issues are addressed in Lake County. They will identify what projects they would like to see undertaken to reduce the hazards and risks of wildfire, such as fuel reduction, education, evacuation planning, or any number of other ideas.

"I encourage individuals to get involved in wildfire protection planning in their community,” said Denise Rushing, Lake County District 3 supervisor who is spearheading the efforts. “Our collective goal is to reduce the risk of wildfires and help prevent devastation and loss of life. We need a solid community-centered plan to accomplish this goal."

Jeff Tunnell, fire mitigation and education specialist for the Bureau of Land Management and a member of the Fire Safe Council, said, "Creating a fire-safe environment around your home, neighborhood, and community makes the firefighters’ efforts more effective and safe.”

Tunnell encourages all residents to attend a community meeting because everyone’s assistance and preparation is needed so local, state, and federal firefighters can best help in an emergency – to keep homes protected and to have everyone go home safely at the end of the day.

The Lake County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP, as it is in known in fire circles) will be introduced at these meetings.

The CWPP is being developed over the coming year to identify priorities to reduce wildfire hazards and risks; the plan is being written by Tracy Katelman of ForEverGreen Forestry (www.forevergreenforestry.com/fire.html). Katelman, a California Registered Professional Forester, also encourages residents to attend the meetings.

“We see this planning process as an opportunity to both educate Lake County residents about the many things they can do to prepare their homes and families for eventual wildfires, as well as to learn from them about those things that are important to protect from wildfire, and how we might go about doing that,” Katelman said. “There is a lot of local knowledge out there, and we’ll all benefit from learning what those who live in fire-prone areas know about where they live.”

She said the 10 meetings are being held in order to bring the fire plan to people where they live.

At the meetings, fire experts will provide residents with information about how to prepare their property for fire and what to do before, during, and after a wildfire. Attendees will be able to learn what to do and how to do it to improve their odds of surviving a wildfire.

The numerous large fires that occurred this summer serve as a reminder to residents of the need to prepare for wildfire to minimize its impact on individuals, families, and the community.

“With the fires we've seen in other areas of the state, I think people realize that complacency is not an option,” said Linda Juntunen, of the West Lake Resource Conservation District. “These meetings are a chance for residents to learn how to protect themselves and their homes, and to help our firefighters.”

All Lake County residents are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting closest to their home or property. Weekday meetings will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.; weekend meetings will be held from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Doors open half an hour before meeting start times for informational displays and refreshments.

For more information about the meetings, including schedules, a sample agenda, and meeting posters, as well as fire safety information, please visit www.co.lake.ca.us/FireSafeCouncil.htm.

For general information about the meetings or the CWPP, contact Mireya Turner, Lake County Assistant Clerk of the Board, at 263-2368; or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The following is a list of community meetings.

• Monday, Oct. 20, 6:30 p.m.; covering the Lake Pillsbury, Blue Lakes and Upper Lake communities; Odd Fellow’s Hall, 9480 Main St., Upper Lake.

• Tuesday, Oct. 21, 6:30 p.m.; covering Hidden Valley and Middletown; Calpine Visitors Center, 15500 Central Park Road, Middletown.

• Thursday, Oct. 23, 6:30 p.m.; covering Lakeport and Scotts Valley; Scotts Valley Women’s Clubhouse, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

• Friday, Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m.; covering Nice and Lucerne; Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, 10^th and Country Club Dr., Lucerne.

• Saturday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m.; covering Cobb Mountain; Cobb Mt. Lions Club Community Center, 15790 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb.

• Sunday, Oct. 26, 2 p.m.; covering Spring Valley and the Double Eagle subdivision; Spring Valley Home Owners’ Association, 3000 Wolf Creek Road, Clearlake Oaks.

• Monday, Oct. 27, 6:30 p.m.; covering Jago Bay, Lower Lake and Clearlake; Brick Hall, 16374 Main St., Lower Lake;

• Tuesday, Oct. 28, 6:30 p.m.; covering Glenhaven, Clearlake Oaks, Paradise Valley and Kono Tayee; Live Oak Senior Center; 12502 Foothill Blvd., Clearlake Oaks.

• Wednesday, Oct. 29, 6:30 p.m.; covering Soda Bay, Rivieras and Buckingham; Riviera Elementary School Cafeteria, 10505 Fairway Drive, Kelseyville;

• Thursday, Oct. 30, 6:30 p.m.; covering Finley and Kelseyville; American Legion Hall, corner of Gaddy Lane and 2nd Street, Kelseyville.

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