The MySafe:LA wildfire team is actively engaging neighborhood groups to explain the value and importance of becoming organized against the threat of wildfire. This process is necessary to ensure there is a good understanding of the roles and responsibilities homeowner’s groups have, as well as the steps that may be taken to help a community move forward in becoming more resilient against wildfire.

As one example, in early August, Wildfire Coordinator Carl Ginsberg and MySafe:LA Commander David Barrett met with homeowners in Mandeville Canyon. This canyon community on the west side of Los Angeles is one of the most beautiful areas in the City, but is also ripe for a destructive wildfire to blow through. If a wildfire occurs that impacts Mandeville Canyon, residents will be in trouble if they haven’t prepared themselves. There is only one main route in and out of the canyon.

Carl met with a highly engaged group of homeowners and spent an hour explaining the importance of being prepared. Everyone in attendance already had a good understanding of the risks – but the steps to take and how and when to take them was a long topic of discussion.

One of the outcomes was not only to suggest that the community consider creating one or two NFPA Firewise USA sites, but to also work in concert with MySafe:LA to share important messages with the community and even to create a wildfire safety fair.

Wildfire readiness needs a starting point: meeting with MySafe:LA creates an opportunity to organize, establish goals and objectives, and to start the process of becoming more resilient against wildfire.