The Czu Lightning Complex Fire - Learn ... or Burn?

Residents are still concerned about response, evacuation, and future preparation in the aftermath of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. They are understandably irate. The supervisors, elected to their positions by our community, fail to recognize that they are responsible to adequately address these concerns. __ AGREE _x_ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): The recovery from the CZU Lightning Complex Fires and preparations for future incidents is ongoing with additional staff resources secured since the fires. The County is committed to supporting recovery efforts for fire survivors and continuing to adapt and evolve in how that support is manifested. The Board established the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience (OR3) in the County Administrative Office (CAO) which significantly increased staff resources to addressing our capacity to prepare for and respond to disasters as well as build resiliency capacity for the County and its residents. At the Board’s direction, prior to the establishment of the OR3, the County deployed an interdepartmental fire recovery team consisting of representatives from the Planning, Public Works, Human Services, and County Administrative Office Departments, and the Health Services Agency Environmental Health Division to support efforts to rebuild, recover, and increase resilience. Additionally, the County created a single email address that fire survivors could use to help streamline their recovery related questions and ensure prompt appropriate responses. The County is also performing internal after-action reviews to glean lessons learned and identify ways to be better prepared for future disasters. The new OR3 is tasked with coordination of the County’s recovery efforts to the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire, readiness and response preparations to future disasters and to build resiliency in response to climate change impacts. The Board of Supervisors designated Supervisors Bruce McPherson and Ryan Coonerty to serve as a Recovery effort ad hoc committee to monitor and oversee the implementation of the County’s recovery and resilience work over the duration of 2021. County staff, the Board of Supervisors, and its representatives from each district remain available to hear concerns and continue to address concerns raised by County residents on an ongoing basis.

There was a marked difference in content and depth of analysis between Cal Fire’s Virtual Community Meeting presentation given to San Mateo County and the two given to Santa Cruz County. The discrepancy is disappointing and not acceptable. __ AGREE _x_ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): CalFire reports that the difference between the San Mateo County presentation and The Santa Cruz County Community Meetings were geared towards different audiences: San Mateo County accounted for only 1/3 of the total acreage, less than half of the structures lost, and impacted less urbanized areas compared to Santa Cruz County. The San Mateo County meeting provided a more in-depth technical presentation specifically geared toward ongoing efforts to advance fuel reduction programming, highlighting the work of their Forestry Technician, two Limited Term fire Captains, and a six-person fuels crew. The presentation included approximately eight minutes of public interaction. The meeting in Santa Cruz County was more of a community meeting with discussion and over an hour of public interaction due to input from residents in Santa Cruz County.

The Board of Supervisors did not adequately respond to their constituents' concerns and questions. __ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE _x_ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): The Board established the Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience (OR3) in the County Administrative Office (CAO). The new OR3 is tasked with coordination of the County’s recovery efforts to the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire, readiness and response preparations to future disasters and to increase resiliency of the County overall in response to climate change. At the Board’s direction, prior to the establishment of the OR3, the County deployed an interdepartmental fire recovery team consisting of representatives from the Planning, Public Works, Human Services, and County Administrative Office Departments, and the Health Services Agency Environmental Health Division to support efforts to rebuild, recover, and increase resilience. Additionally, the County created a single email address that fire survivors could use to help streamline their recovery related questions and ensure prompt appropriate responses. In October 2020, the Board of Supervisors designated Supervisors Bruce McPherson and Ryan Coonerty to serve as an ad hoc committee to monitor and oversee the implementation of the County’s recovery and resilience efforts. They serve in this capacity to ensure that the County is addressing the concerns and questions raised during the recovery process for fire survivors. County staff, the Board of Supervisors, and its representatives from each district remain available to hear concerns and continue to address issues raised by County residents on an ongoing basis. Supervisors McPherson and Coonerty also hosted numerous community meetings virtually to provide updates to the community, including taking questions regarding recovery, debris flow risk and other topics. The OR3 is engaged in constituent support for fire recovery and has developed a monthly newsletter and website to disseminate important and timely information to concerned stakeholders.

The Board of Supervisors has not held Cal Fire accountable for their lack of analysis of their performance in the CZU Lightning Complex fire. __ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE _x_ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): The CZU Lightning Complex Fire was unprecedented in its scope and complexity. Many residents are understandably distressed. While the County contracts with CalFire for local fire protection and Emergency Medical Services in local unincorporated areas, CalFire is a State agency independent of County oversight. The fire was classified as a State Responsibility Area (SRA) fire and CalFire responded to the incident through this larger State role. County Fire resources were deployed in response to the incident and the County can request a local review of County resources deployed. CalFire has published a report titled, 2020 Fire Siege, documenting the Statewide response to the 2020 fire season, which is available online.

No provision exists in the current contract between the county and Cal Fire to develop after-action reports during the non-fire season. _x_ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): CalFire, as County Fire has participated in County after action reviews and participates in monthly coordination meetings with law enforcement, CAO, and the OR3. Additionally, CalFire is active in leading evacuation planning efforts. CalFire is an engaged partner, and remains so, despite the significant pressure of recent significant fire seasons. After action reviews and transparency are best practices for all responding agencies. The County can explore incorporation of after-action reviews into future agreements with CalFire.

The Board of Supervisors’ responses to the Findings and

The adequacy of resources for firefighting in the future is questioned due to uncertainty of mutual aid assistance, deployment and management of volunteer companies, and availability of funding. _x_ AGREE __ PARTIALLY DISAGREE __ DISAGREE Response explanation (required for a response other than Agree): The mutual aid response from local partners was exemplary. At the time of this incident, many other incidents were active concurrently, creating competition for mutual aid resources. Statewide mutual aid has experienced challenges due to the magnitude, scope, and duration of the mutual aid requests being received. Volunteer staffing is strained locally, statewide, and at the national level as a result of the high standards necessary to certify volunteer firefighters. Changing weather patterns have created a need for more adaptive approaches. The State, in response to this changing environment, has allocated $25 million for prepositioning fire resources in anticipation of incidents.