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South San Benito County Wildfire Community Meeting

A community meeting with presenters and attendees, maps on display, and a slide about wildfire resilience.
Residents gathered at the Jefferson School in Paicines to provide input to the San Benito Wildfire Resilience Program on August 15, 2024

Thanks to the more than 40 community members who attended this meeting, and to our gracious hosts at Jefferson School!  

Residents of Paicines, Bear Valley,  Bitterwater, and nearby communities  attended this Community Meeting at Jefferson School on August 15th to discuss the San Benito Wildfire Resilience Program and the update to the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for San Benito County. The CWPP was last updated in 2010.  As wildfire frequency and severity continues to increase, it is more important than ever for communities to have a plan in place to prepare for, reduce the risk of, and adapt to wildland fire events.

View the meeting agenda and slide presentations below:

08_15_24 South County_Jefferson School Meeting Agenda.pdfOverview and What Is a CWPP_8.15.24.pdfRisk Assessment and Strategies_8.15.24.pdfFire Prevention, Fuels Reduction & Post-Fire Recovery_8.15.24.pdf
A man presents large maps on easels to an attentive audience in a room:Ian Moore, Spatial Informatics Group, explaining  San Benito Wildfire Risk Assessment and Strategies
Ian Moore, Spatial Informatics Group, explaining  San Benito Wildfire Risk Assessment and Strategies
A woman stands by a desk with papers and markers, near a fire extinguisher on the wall. Madison Mitchell, San Benito County Office of Emergency Services
Madison Mitchell, San Benito County Office of Emergency Services 
Lynn Overtree, San Benito Ag Land Trust, and Alex Michel, Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association present  on Fire Prevention, Fuels Reduction, and Post-Fire Recovery
Lynn Overtree, San Benito Ag Land Trust, and Alex Michel, Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association present  on Fire Prevention, Fuels Reduction, and Post-Fire Recovery
A person is giving a presentation to an audience, pointing at a slide with images and text labeled "Lessons Learned."
Paul Hain, Tres Pinos landowner and Director, San Benito RCD and San Benito Ag Land Trust shares lessons learned from a recent wildfire on his property
People engaged in conversation at an indoor event with educational or informational banners in the background.
South County residents and agency representatives discussed wildfire planning at Jefferson School