Wildfires are becoming more common in Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz, California is a beautiful costal town. It sits at the northern end of Monterey Bay. Much of Santa Cruz’s beauty is derived from its proximity to the ancient Redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains.

As droughts become more frequent and longer lasting, the risk for wildfire increases. Coupled with the push of communities into previously forested areas and the setting is ripe for a potential disaster.

Unfortunately, in 2020 that disaster struck in the form of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. The CZU Complex fire burned over 86,000 acres, including much of the famous Henry Cowell redwood forest. It consumed more than 900 homes and displaced more than 1000 people from the communities surrounding Santa Cruz.

The CZU Complex fires were not the first fires in our area and they won’t be the last. Those of us living at a Wildland Urban Interface bear the responsibility to prepare our homes and property for a potential wildfire.

How might wildfire affect our neighborhood?

 “There was a time when the public could essentially let their guard down from wildfire.” Said Isaac Sanchez, a battalion chief with CalFire. “But that time doesn’t exist anymore, especially in certain parts of the state.”