Santa Cruz Civil Grand Jury report on wildfire risks in city

I'M CHRISTOPHER SALAS. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A GRAND JURY REPORT FROM THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ... LOOKING AT THE RISK OF WILDFIRES IN THE CITY... AND HOW THE CITY IS PREPARIN. G. ACTION NEWS 8 REPORTER ALANI LETANG BREAKS DOWN THE REPORT FOR US....## A SANTA CRUZ CIVIL GRAND JURY... DETAILS THE WILDFIRE RISKS AROUND THE CITY. THE RERTPO FOUND NEARLY 50 PERCENT OF THE CITY OF SAN TA CRUZ IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN A WILDLAND URBAN INTERFA CE AREA OR WUI. WUI IS A ZONE WHERE STRUCTESUR AND OTHER HUMAN DEVELOPMENT....MEET UNDEVELOPED WILDLAND... THESE AREAS ARE AT A HIGHER RISK OF WILDFIRES....SOME EVEN HIGHER RISK DEPENDI NG ON LIMITED ROAD ACCESS AND ENCAMPMENTS. THE REPORT SAYS MAJORITY OF WILDFIRES IN THE W-U- S I' ARE HUMAN CAUSED. THE REPORT SAYS FIVE AREAS IN SANTA CRUZ ARE LIKELY TO HAVE A FIRE...THEY INCLUDE: MOORE CREEK...ARROYO SECO CANYON...POGONIP... ARANAGULCH....AND DELAVEAGA THE REPORT ALSO MENTIONS UNMANAGED ENCAMPMES NT POSE A NUMBER OF FIRE RISKS. .. SUCH AS USING FIRE FOR COOKING OR WARMING.... OR...HAVING FLAMMAE BL MATERIALS LIKE PLASTIC...TENTS... CHARCOAL,...BUTANE TA NKS...IN A CLOSELY PACKED ENCAMPMENT. THE REPORT MENTIONS PROACTIVE POLICIES THAT WOULD STOP NECAMPMENTS FROM BECOMING ENTRENCHED COULD HELP REDUCE THE CITY'S COST FOR CLEANING AND CLEARNIGN ENCAMEMPNTS. STATED IN THE REPORT...SANTA CRUZ IS AWARE OF THE NEED TO DO BETTER IN THEIR OUTREACH FOR NEW ORDINANC ES ...AFTER RECENT DEBATES OF A TEMPORARY OUTDOOR LIVING ORDINANCE. THE CURRENT ORDINANCE IS NOW REJECTED....HOVER WE THE REPORT SHOWS THE ORDINANCE HAD SEVERAL STEPS TO LESSEN THE RISK OF WILDFIRE IN SANTA CRUZ... INCLUDNG BANNING OVERNIGHT AND DAYTIME ENCAMPEMENTS IN SENSITIVE AND AT RISK AREAS IN THE TY..CI. IN THE MEAN TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTS FREUQUENT WALK THROUGHS OF ENCAMPMENTS TO ASSESS RISK LEVELS. ALONG WIHT THE POLE IC DEPARTMENT HELLPING TO COUNT THE NUMBER OF UNHOUSED POPULATION. THE REPORT ALSO LAYED OUT SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SANTA CRUZ....SUCH AS CRAFT AN ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS ENCAMPMENT ISSUES...ALONGIT WH NEEDING THE CITY COUNCILO T BE MORE TRANSPARANET W

A new Santa Cruz Civil Grand Jury report looks at the risks of wildfires in the city and what the city is doing to handle and lessen the risks. The grand jury report details the wildfire risks around the city. The report found nearly 50% of the city of Santa Cruz is considered to be a Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). WUI is a zone where structures and other human development meets undeveloped wildland. These areas are at a higher risk or wildfires, some even higher risk dependsing on limited road access and encampments. The report states majority of wildfires in the WUI's are human caused. The report mentions five areas in Santa Cruz likely to have a fire they inlcude: Moore Creek, Aroyo Seco Canyon, Pogonip, Arana Gulch and DeLaveaga. The report points to unmanaged encampments pose a number of fire risks, such as using fire for cooking or warming. Also having a flammable materials like plastic, tents, charcoal, butane tanks in a closy packed encampment can pose a wildfire risk. The report mentions proactive policies that would stop encampments from becoming entrenched, could help reduce the city's cost for cleaning and clearning encampments. Stated in the report, Santa Cruz is aware of the need to do better in their outreach for new ordinances after recent debates over a temporary outdoor living ordinance. The current ordinance is now rejected. However, the report shows the ordinance had several steps to lessen the risks of wildfires in Santa Cruz. The ordinance included a ban on overnight and daytime encampments in sensitive and at risk areas in the city. In the meantime, the fire department conducts frequent walk-throughs of encampements to assess risk levels. Along with the police department helping to count the number of unhoused populations. The repot layed out some recommendations for Santa Cruz, such as craft an ordinance to address encampments. Another recommendation is that the city become more transparant with the county on managemnt of homless resources. You can read the full report by clicking here.

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. —

These areas are at a higher risk or wildfires, some even higher risk dependsing on limited road access and encampments. The report states majority of wildfires in the WUI's are human caused.

The report mentions five areas in Santa Cruz likely to have a fire they inlcude: Moore Creek, Aroyo Seco Canyon, Pogonip, Arana Gulch and DeLaveaga.

The report points to unmanaged encampments pose a number of fire risks, such as using fire for cooking or warming. Also having a flammable materials like plastic, tents, charcoal, butane tanks in a closy packed encampment can pose a wildfire risk.

The report mentions proactive policies that would stop encampments from becoming entrenched, could help reduce the city's cost for cleaning and clearning encampments.

Stated in the report, Santa Cruz is aware of the need to do better in their outreach for new ordinances after recent debates over a temporary outdoor living ordinance.

The current ordinance is now rejected. However, the report shows the ordinance had several steps to lessen the risks of wildfires in Santa Cruz. The ordinance included a ban on overnight and daytime encampments in sensitive and at risk areas in the city.

In the meantime, the fire department conducts frequent walk-throughs of encampements to assess risk levels. Along with the police department helping to count the number of unhoused populations.

The repot layed out some recommendations for Santa Cruz, such as craft an ordinance to address encampments.

Another recommendation is that the city become more transparant with the county on managemnt of homless resources.

You can read the full report by clicking here.

Santa Cruz Civil Grand Jury report on wildfire risks in city

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