Weekly Roundup for June 14, 2024

Today’s digest provides helpful and important updates on the following:

1. Wildfire prevention tips and reminders
2. Burn permits suspended beginning June 17
3. June 15 webinar on Wildfire Adapted Grant Project
4. Vacation rental license deadline June 15
5. Other Sonoma County news of note

Wildfire prevention tips and reminders 

According to CalFire, approximately 95 percent of California wildfires are caused by human activity. Here are some helpful reminders for how all of us can do our part to keep communities safe:

• Mow your lawn before 10 a.m. – keep a fire extinguisher, hose, bucket and shovel nearby and never mow if it is windy, excessively dry or during a Red Flag Warning.
• Avoid using power tools that create sparks near dry vegetation.
• Fully extinguish campfires – drown, stir, feel.
• Keep grills away from dry vegetation.
• Maintain vehicles to prevent sparks – secure all chains and remove dragging parts.
• Follow local burn regulations and bans – plan, verify, apply.
• Clear dry leaves and debris from your yard.

Remember. one less spark equals one less wildfire.

Learn more at: https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/wildfire-prevention

Additional preparedness tips are available at: https://socoemergency.org/get-ready/

Burn permits suspended beginning June 17

After another rainy winter, warmer temperatures and winds are quickly drying out area vegetation. Rising risk has led CalFire to suspend all burn permits for outdoor residential burning in Sonoma County beginning June 17 at 8 a.m.

To keep your property safe, CalFire recommends:

• Clearing all dead and dying vegetation within 100 feet of structures.
• Landscaping with fire-resistant plants and non-flammable ground cover.
• Exploring alternative methods for disposing of landscape debris, such as chipping or hauling it to a biomass energy or green waste facility.

Additional information is available at: https://readyforwildfire.org/

Wildfire adapted grant project webinar June 15

Join Permit Sonoma for a live webinar on Saturday, June 15 from 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. to learn how to apply for a $10,000 rebate for wildfire resiliency.

The webinar will provide an update on the Wildfire Adapted Grant program, including details on timelines and available resources. Participants will also have a chance to win a $100 gift card for Friedman's Home Improvement.

To check eligibility and learn more about the program, visit www.SoCoAdapts.org.

The SoCo Adapts project provides consultation to help property owners create wildfire-wise landscapes and harden homes against wildfires.

Vacation rental license deadline June 15

Starting June 15, Sonoma County operators and managers of vacation rentals outside the coastal zone are required to obtain a vacation rental license in addition to their existing permit.

For step-by-step instructions, please visit:
https://permitsonoma.org/regulationsandinitiatives/vacationrentals/vacationrentalpermitandlicenseapplication

Other Sonoma County news of note

Board of Supervisors approves plan to expand access to and participation on boards and commissions
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/board-of-supervisors-approves-plan-to-expand-access-to-and-participation-on-boards-and-commissions

Help shape the future of Wright Hill Regional Park and Open Space Preserve
https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/help-shape-the-future-of-wright-hill-regional-park-and-open-space-preserve

Public hearings on 2024-25 Sonoma County budget to begin Tuesday
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/public-hearings-on-2024-25-sonoma-county-budget-to-begin-tuesday