ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – When it is hot, dry, and windy Southern California implements a red-flag warning. That means fire departments are on high alert and ready to go if something starts to burn, but they can’t be everywhere.
A program in Orange County is working to help firefighters get a leg up on fires through a volunteer program called Orange County Fire Watch. Hundreds have signed up to be on standby when the weather becomes perfect for a fire.
Volunteer Jodi Newell says, that’s when the forecast is, “75 degrees or hotter, humidity 15 percent or less, and wind gusts of 25 mph or higher.”
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Days before a Red-Flag warning event in Southern California, she took Spectrum News 1 out to Peter’s Canyon in Tustin to show what she does. On a red-flag day she would be out in one of the tens of thousands of acres the Irvine Ranch Conservancy helps maintain. She helps keep an eye on an area she loves to hike and spend time in.
“It’s just absolutely beautiful area. And I want to be a part of keeping it safe,” said Newell.
One of her most important tool, is binoculars.
“We’re looking for signs of smoke, fire, anything that might cause an ignition,” said Newell.
One example is a car parked somewhere it shouldn’t be. She is also keeping an eye on people.
Newell says, “You never know what people are up to.”
While out on a watch, Newell also keeps a head count of who is in the area so in case a fire does break out she can let firefighters know how many people are in the area. If volunteers do see anything, they can call the Orange County Fire Authority, 911, or the Orange County Fire Watch Operation Center.
Tony Pointer is the OC Fire Watch Manager. At the operations center at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy headquarters, Pointer and volunteers keep track of weather conditions, coordinate two hour shifts for volunteers in the field, and keep an eye on dozens of live cameras in the canyons. The Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas and Electric cameras are located throughout the local area.
“Each tower can have any number of two to four cameras that can be in a fixed condition or can sweep or rotate,” said Pointer.
When anyone at the center sees something, they say something, or notify firefighters. Pointer says having extra eyes out in high risk fire areas is, “trying to allow the firefighters get a jump on these fires,” which he says could help keep the fires smaller.
According to Pointer, OC Fire Watch volunteers were among the first to report the Canyon Fire in October of 2017 that burned in Anaheim Hills. That fire started near the 91 Freeway and Gypsum Canyon Road. It burned more than 9,200 acres and damaged about five dozen homes.
The Orange County Fire Watch program is facilitated in partnership with Orange County Parks, City of Irvine, City of Newport Beach, Irvine Ranch Conservancy, and Orange County Fire Authority. Pointer says it’s a team effort.
“I would not be able to do this activity without the volunteers,” said Pointer.
“We feel like we’re doing something to keep the community safe,” said Newell.
