Mayor, fire officials urge San Diegans to prepare as wildfire season heats up

Mayor Todd Gloria and San Diego Fire‑Rescue officials urged residents on Sept. 8 to take simple preparedness steps as the region faces elevated wildfire risk from Santa Ana winds, dry fuels and high temperatures. The mayor highlighted a new homeowners’ educational service offering at‑home risk assessments and guidance on low‑cost hardening, a 0–5 foot ember‑resistant zone and defensible space measures to improve home insurability and survivability during fires.

"We are asking every San Diegan to take simple yet critical steps to be prepared," Gloria said, urging homeowners to clear brush, develop family emergency plans and register for the Alert San Diego text program and the Genesis Protect app. He noted new city assets — two brush rigs, an incoming helicopter due in the fall and a COM‑1 mobile command center that can back up 911 dispatch during complex incidents — as part of the city’s readiness investments.

The mayor and fire leadership framed the measures as complementary: public agencies will pre‑position assets and coordinate regional responses, while resident actions lower individual risk. The Independent Budget Analyst and council members reiterated the city’s commitment to public safety while acknowledging fiscal pressures in the current budget.

The city did not announce new mandatory evacuations or additional funding in the presentation; officials encouraged residents to consult sandiego.gov/wildfire and local emergency alerts for next steps. The mayor closed by reminding San Diegans to check on seniors, avoid leaving children or pets in parked cars during the heat and use municipal cooling centers when needed.

The council recessed into closed session after the presentation and scheduled the remainder of legislative business for the afternoon meeting.