San Clemente council OKs emergency wildfire measures, accepts donated equipment and volunteer waivers

San Clemente Mayor Steve Noblak urged the City Council Jan. 14 to take immediate steps to reduce wildfire risk after two years of unusual rainfall followed by Santa Ana winds and higher fire exposure. Council members unanimously approved a package of emergency measures including accepting donations of tools and supplies, authorizing volunteer liability waivers, and directing the city manager to negotiate rights-of-entry with private property owners and homeowners associations for abatement work.

The measures are meant to accelerate abatement on parcels not owned by the city and to create a city-led volunteer effort to expand firebreaks and support other emergency tasks. "The current weather conditions present an emergency for immediate action," Noblak said when outlining the request. The council also voted to find the activities categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act under Public Resources Code 21080(b)(4) and CEQA Guideline 15269(c), which apply to emergency projects.

Why it matters: Officials said the city’s existing weed-abatement program is broad but that some canyons, ridgelines and edges abutting Rancho Mission Viejo and Camp Pendleton still pose short-term hazards that justify faster, volunteer-supported abatement. The council’s action is intended to clear legal and logistical barriers so volunteers can assist safely and so staff can negotiate temporary entry for abatement work on private or HOA land.

Details and council direction: The city put a liability waiver, release and assumption-of-risk form online and at the back of chambers; volunteers will be required to sign it before participating. The city reported in the meeting that local businesses had offered equipment donations: Lowe’s and Ganahl Lumber were listed as contributors, and a local tree service committed chipper resources. The council authorized the city manager to accept those donations, authorize volunteer participation upon execution of waivers, and negotiate rights-of-entry with property owners and associations for abatement work.

Officials and volunteer roles: Mayor Noblak, who introduced the item, asked council to authorize rapid, volunteer-led work coordinated with trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs and with oversight from the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). The council heard public comment from residents urging multiple mitigation tactics — including grazing, new emergency access, and improved water pickup points for helicopters — and thanked volunteer organizer Mike Kaye, who has led a goat grazing pilot on city land.

Safety, outreach and resources: Staff and council members emphasized household preparedness steps posted by OCFA, including clearing at least 50–150 feet of flammable material around houses and preparing a multi-day “go kit.” Council members also discussed signing residents up for county AlertOC / reverse-911 notifications and pursuing grant funding and Firewise/HOA programs to lower homeowners’ insurance rates.

Vote and follow up: The motion — to receive a report, declare a wildfire-prevention week, ratify acceptance of donated equipment, authorize volunteer waiver procedures, allow the city manager to negotiate right-of-entry agreements with property owners, and to find the activities exempt from CEQA as emergency actions — passed unanimously. Council directed staff to work with OCFA on future community wildfire-prevention forums and to return with implementation steps where needed.

What's next: Staff will publish volunteer sign-up and waiver materials online and at city facilities, coordinate with OCFA on public forums, and proceed with right-of-entry negotiations where property owners agree. Council members also asked staff to evaluate potential dip/draw stations for helicopter water pickup and report back on cost and locations.