Brown Proclaims “Wildfire Awareness Week”
Governor Jerry Brown has declared this week as”Wildfire Awareness Week”.
Brown was Tuesday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.
According to Brown’s Media Statement: “Wildfires are a natural, periodic occurrence in California.
Many native species depend on cyclical fires for survival. Unfortunately, this natural process often conflicts with human land use, and careless or malicious human activity causes many fires that would not have occurred naturally. In order to continue to enjoy the economic and recreational benefits of our wilderness lands, we must strive to achieve a balance between California’s fire ecology and the need to protect human life and property.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) responds to thousands of wildfires each year. In an average year, wildfires burn 900,000 acres of California’s timber and grasslands. In 2007, one of the most severe fire years in state history, nearly 4,000 homes and numerous lives were lost. Without the bravery and professionalism of our CAL FIRE crews, the losses would have been even greater.
But firefighting alone cannot protect us, and every citizen, especially those living in fire-prone areas, has an important role in preventing loss of life and property from wildfire events. This week, we should all do our part to raise public awareness of the coming fire season and take steps to protect lives, homes and families in the event of a wildfire.
In conjunction with Wildfire Awareness Week, CAL FIRE has launched a campaign to educate homeowners on the steps they should take to prepare themselves for wildfire. This potentially lifesaving information can be found at www.ReadyForWildfire.org. “
The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard each weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:47, 7:47 and 8:47am.
