Lake County Board proclaims May 2025 Wildfire Community Preparedness Month

The Lake County Board of Supervisors on a May 2025 agenda item adopted a proclamation designating May 2025 as Wildfire Community Preparedness Month in Lake County.

The proclamation says wildfire “significantly impacts Lake County’s environmental, economic, and social well-being” and urges residents, property owners, utility providers, evacuation corridor owners and essential-service providers to maintain defensible space, post addresses clearly and prepare for extended periods without electricity.

The Board formally adopted the proclamation “this May 2025” under the signature of Chair Crandall, according to remarks during the meeting. Supervisor Pyska read portions of the proclamation and spoke about the county’s response and community collaboration over the past decade. "We have, built a network. We've built systems. We've built a workforce," Supervisor Pyska said, thanking volunteers, nonprofit partners and agencies for their work.

The proclamation references several specific preparedness measures: Zone 0 (an ember‑resistant zone) extending five feet from buildings; creating up to 100 feet of defensible space around structures; removing dead or dying vegetation; keeping branches at least 10 feet from chimneys or stovepipe outlets; limiting combustible items on decks; relocating firewood to more distant zones; and replacing combustible fence attachments to homes with noncombustible alternatives. It also cites Article 8 of Chapter 13 of the Lake County Code regarding hazardous vegetation and combustible material and calls on utilities, roadway owners and essential facilities to reduce fuels within 100 feet of infrastructure.

Speaking for the state response, CAL FIRE Chief Duncan described recent statewide activity and local operations, saying the state treated more than 130,000 acres in 2024 through more than 900 fuel‑reduction projects. "You'll see those and our crews going around the county working on the roadsides," Chief Duncan said, noting a mutual threat zone (MTZ) project behind the Clear Lake-area Walmart. He added that 2024 saw more than 8,000 wildfires and that the agency responded to over 600,000 emergencies statewide. Chief Duncan also referenced recent large incidents, including a 429,000‑acre park fire in 2024 and destructive January fires that consumed thousands of structures.

Magdalena, identified in the meeting as a participant in local preparedness efforts, urged a cultural shift toward "fire adaptation," noting the role of tribal land stewardship and traditional burning practices in local strategies. "We can live well with wildfire if we understand what it is, what it can do for us, and how we can teach the future generations how to do the same thing," she said.

During public comment, Elaine Brown, a resident, urged more emphasis on early, on‑the‑ground firefighting resources and raised concerns about smoke and night‑time burning near Middletown and Cobb Mountain that she said affects air quality and residents with asthma.

Board discussion repeatedly emphasized that wildfire preparedness is year‑round and a shared responsibility among property owners, agencies and utility companies. The Board closed the item after adopting the proclamation and a brief photo opportunity.

Votes at a glance: The meeting transcript records the proclamation as "Passed and adopted this May 2025 by our Chair of the Board, Chair Crandall." No roll‑call vote or tally was provided in the transcript.