This is the first in a series of articles SNO will be doing called “Wildfire Wednesday.” To begin, there will be 8 articles presenting “The 12 Step Guide to Help Plan in Advance for Evacuation.” This guide was put together by Katie Hepler and the members of the California Fire Support Group on Facebook. The California Fire Support Group is ...
Read More »Emergency Prep
Flood Watch Issued: Heavy Rain and Debris Expected
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Flood Watch for the mountain communities and the surrounding Sierra Foothills. This watch will be effective from Friday, January 31st, at 12:00 p.m. through Sunday, February 2nd, at 4:00 a.m. Consequently, residents should prepare for up to 4 inches of rainfall this weekend, with another storm system forecasted for ...
Read More »CAL FIRE’s Ready, Set, Go for Wildfire Readiness
SACRAMENTO— As critical fire weather continues to increase wildfire risk across much of Southern California, CAL FIRE urges all residents to take proactive steps to protect their families, homes, and communities. The “Ready, Set, Go!” campaign offers clear guidance to ensure everyone is prepared for wildfire emergencies. READY Prepare your home and property. Create defensible space and harden your home. ...
Read More »Get to Know The Watch Duty Fire Alert App
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES–With fire season right around the corner, knowing when a fire starts in your area can mean the difference between life and death. Nearly every wildfire fatality occurs within the first hour, yet official notifications are often delayed, sparse, or non-existent. Watch Duty (WD), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, alerts you of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts in real time when ...
Read More »End of Fire Season Declared for MMU
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES—The end of fire season will be declared in the CAL FIRE Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU) on Monday, December 16th at 8 a.m. Burning is allowed, but burn permit requirements vary between counties. Burn permit information in Mariposa County: CAL FIRE burn permits are not required in Mariposa County until May 1st. Residents must contact the Mariposa County burn day information ...
Read More »Test Your Smoke Alarms When You Turn Your Clocks Back
FRESNO — Daylight saving time ends on November 3, and the American Red Cross encourages everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back to make sure the devices are working. “Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half as you only have about two minutes to safely get out,” said ...
Read More »PG&E: Public Safety Power Shut Off Expected Friday
MADERA COUNTY–PG&E has notified the Madera County Office of Emergency Services of a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event that is expected to affect the areas of Central Camp, The Pines, Wishon, Bass Lake Annex, North Fork, Cascadel Woods, O’Neals, and Sugar Pine. Update 10-17-2024 1:45 p.m. Power is expected to be de-energized on Friday, October 18th, at approximately 4:00 ...
Read More »Two Minutes May Be All You Have to Escape a House Fire
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — This Fire Prevention Week (October 9-15), the American Red Cross Central Valley Chapter urges everyone to practice their two-minute home fire escape plan and test their smoke alarms to stay safe from the nation’s most frequent disaster. Two minutes is the amount of time that fire experts say you may have to safely escape a home fire ...
Read More »Wildfire Ready Event Planned in Mariposa County
MARIPOSA COUNTY–The Mariposa County Library is partnering with three community organizations to host an event centered around fire safety. The three presenters work collaboratively on the Mariposa County Fire Advisory Committee (MCFAC). They plan projects with input from all the first responder agencies and partner organizations in Mariposa County. Come learn about the who, what, where, why, how, and when ...
Read More »Learn to Protect Your Home from Wildfire
AHWAHNEE–– The University of California Cooperative Extension and Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative are offering a free workshop covering defensible space, zone zero home hardening, evacuation preparedness, and local fire preparedness resources in Ahwahnee, CA. Representatives from CAL FIRE will be discussing what actions can be taken to make homes more fire resilient, including landscaping, building materials, and inexpensive modifications ...
Read More »Excessive Heat Expected the Next Few Days
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES–The National Weather Service Hanford Office (NWS)is warning community members that dangerous high temperatures up to 109 in the valley and 112 in the Kern County Desert will be observed during the three-day heat wave. Overnight low temperatures will stay in the 70s and provide little relief. An Excessive Heat (Wave) Warning will go into effect this morning, Wednesday ...
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