It’s well run by smart people!

Not everyone can afford goats!

CalFire has a Ready for Wildfire site. Recommended for everyone.
https://www.readyforwildfire.org/

Defensible Space is described here:
https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/get-ready/defensible-space/

There's a lengthy brochure. Just go to the online flip book https://www.paperturn-view.com/cal-fire-communications/cal-fire-ready-set-go-brochure-final-files-v4-print?pid=MjU252417&p=8&v=2%3F and view online or select download pdf from the menu there. (44MB)

And a short flyer.
https://www.readyforwildfire.org/wp-content/uploads/DefensibleSpaceFlyer.pdf
If any of these links stop working, let me know and I'll edit the post accordingly.

All the links except "brochure" work for me.
Thanks.

They go door to door especially along the streets that border open spaces & write up a quick report listing the aspects of the home's defensible space that need improving. The assumption among residents is that insurance companies will have access to those reports, so compliance has been good. Honestly, I think most of the people here *want* very much to comply and protect not only their homes but the entire neighborhood. It's amazing to see how much the neighborhood has changed in five years. We all lived through the barrage of fires starting in 2017 even if our homes were not immediately threatened. I would imagine most other areas are the same.

I live in the foothills and CalFire has visited my home twice in about 7 years. They get very busy.
We are all as proactive as we can be here, but my first inspection, I couldn't be very proactive, because it was on the first or second day after I moved in.

One hillside needed serious brush removal. Being on a ridge, the other 3 sides were very clear.
I started cutting brush down, but a rather substantial portion of it was stealth poison oak.
Trip to E.R.
I hired a crew to finish the job.
Apparently, some people are just immune to it.

Over time, I cleaned out acres of brush "below" me, and created some big fire-breaks in the process.

I'd used a portable sawzall (inline reciprocating saw with a long blade) and was covered in plant juice on one side of my body. Poison oak plant juice. Like you I also made a trip the ER. I found out that although I'd been immune before puberty, bodies change.

The next year I went after the junipers planted in 1969 by the second owner. They're like so-called "fatwood" kindling in a fire thanks to the high amounts of oil.

Strangely, all of the blackberry brambles died during the drought and haven't come back; they were last on my list.

It's wonderful to read & hear so many people doing what they can to help manage the danger; thank you!

During fire season, I can see the direction planes are going and I speculate where they might be headed. Then I look at the local news to see if something is reported. They have been using them as a quick response to keep the fires small which seems like a good strategy. Newsom has really stepped up in a lot of ways. He governs as a problem solver and delivers.

https://www.flightradar24.com

I was sad to read that the 747 supertanker was retired by the investment group that owned it as it was more profitable to sell it to a cargo carrier, but it looks like a new one may be ready for operation! It's a nose-loading 747-200 operated by Logistic Air, who bought the fire retardant system from the previous owner and put it into a new plane. No news as to whether it will fly out of McClellan, but where else is there, really?

https://fireaviation.com/2022/05/04/747-supertanker-expected-to-be-fire-ready-before-the-end-of-this-year/