Agenda

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D.7

To:	Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board of Directors
From:	Lewis T. Broschard III, Chief, Contra Costa Fire Protection District
Date:	December 8, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Report on 2020 Fire Season

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 12/08/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, Director
Candace Andersen, Director
Diane Burgis, Director
Karen Mitchoff, Director
Federal D. Glover, Director

Contact:

Lewis Broschard, Fire Chief 925-941-3300 x1100

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: December 8, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ACCEPT a report from the Fire Chief regarding the 2020 fire season.

FISCAL IMPACT:

No fiscal impact.

BACKGROUND:

The 2020 fire season proved to be, yet again, another year of firsts and unprecedented fire activity within the state, our local region, and Contra Costa County.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

Contra Costa County fared better than many of our neighboring counties; however, the District responded to more than 400 grass and vegetation fires, managing to hold all but a handful of them to less than 10 acres. This was a considerable feat given the weather and fuel conditions and came as a result of significant planning and preparedness.

In recognition of the changing nature of our fire seasons, we are no longer declaring an official end to the season as we have done in past years. As it currently stands across the District, there are considerable dead annual grasses, dry brush, and vegetation that all have very low fuel moisture and thereby represent an ongoing wildfire risk. In spite of lower temperatures and some rain, the danger of wildfires still remains a threat.

This report will discuss the 2020 fire season, our preparations and expanded capabilities to date, and what potential next steps may be for consideration into 2021 and beyond as we must explore additional prevention, planning, preparedness, and response capabilities for this growing threat within all the communities served by the District.