Wildfire: Preparation, Mitigation, and Emergency Response

Wildfires: Preparation, Mitigation, and Emergency Response

Wildfires are not a new phenomenon. They have been around forever, often serving as an essential part of a region’s ecology and ecosystem, refreshing a forest by clearing out dead debris and providing a vital recharge for the soil, making way for new growth.

However, today, wildfires worldwide are becoming more destructive, intense, and hard to fight as the effects of climate change increase global temperatures, cause widespread historic droughts, and lengthen traditional fire seasons. In the past 20 years alone, the frequency and scope of wildfires have dramatically increased in the United States.

For us at CORE, with these increases in regularity and intensity, it has become imperative that we do all that we can to help perform preventative work and provide critical assistance to those who these destructive wildfires have impacted.

Summer Wildfires, Southern California

A member of CORE's staff meets with residents of Big Bear Lake and show them emergency evacuation resources. — CORE staff sharing important disaster information with Big Bear Lake residents. (CORE photo by Matt Gsell)

A member of CORE's team talks with Big Bear Lake residents outside of a grocery store. — CORE staff sharing important disaster information with Big Bear Lake residents as the Line Fire neared. (CORE photo by Matt Gsell)

A landscape shot from the desert showing smoke from the Line Fire rising from the mountains. — Looking at smoke from the Bridge Fire from Hesperia. (CORE photo by Sunny Lee)

A view of Big Bear lake obscured by wildfire smoke from the Line Fire. — A smoke obscured view of Big Bear Lake. (CORE Photo by Sunny Lee)

This September, three major wildfires – the Bridge Fire, Line Fire, and Airport Fire- swept through Southern California, destroying dozens of homes, disrupting power, causing road and highway closures, and forcing thousands into temporary displacement. Scorching temperatures, far beyond normal, contributed to the intensity and rapid spread of the fires.

In response to the Line Fire that charred over 39,000 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest, CORE’s team went door-to-door in the communities of Big Bear Lake, providing emergency preparedness resources to households at risk of evacuation orders.

Families also received go-bags that included food, water, first aid supplies, tools, personal hygiene products, and other necessities. Our teams specifically targeted households with limited income or resources, including those with family members over 60 years old.

As temperatures drop and firefighters have been able to contain the fire, CORE remains vigilant and ready to address the evolving needs of individuals impacted.

To learn more, visit www.coreresponse.org/southern-california-wildfires/

Siskiyou County, Northern California

Burned out cars in a charred forest after a wildfire went through the area. — A look at the destruction after the McKinney Fire went through Siskiyou County. (Photo courtesy of CORE)

Burned trees line a road that has recently been hit by a wildfire — A neighborhood after the McKinney Fire came through. (Photo courtesy of CORE)

CORE staff standing outside of a post office in Siskiyou County, with a map of areas effected by a wildfire. — CORE provided information to local residents during the McKinney Fire. (Photo courtesy of CORE)

CORE and forest service staff sitting in a room. — CORE's Director of Emergency Response, George Hernandez Mejia, at a situation briefing. (CORE photo by Daniel Lew)by

A member of CORE's team holding up a tablet to take a photo during a home assessment in Siskiyou County. — Tablets are used during home assessments in Siskiyou County. (CORE photo by Robert Tyler Walker)

Two members of CORE staff, one pointing up looking at low hanging branches. — During home assessments, CORE staff looks for any potential fire hazards. (CORE photo by Robert Tyler Walker)

In 2022, the McKinney Fire erupted in Siskiyou County in Northern California, tearing through 60,138 acres of land, destroying 185 structures, and claiming four lives.

In response, CORE worked alongside the Incident Management Team to address the critical needs of those affected and created defensible spaces by cleaning out gutters and roofs and clearing vegetation to better protect vulnerable communities in the future.

Since 2023, CORE has partnered with the Fire Safe Council of Siskiyou County and the U.S. Forest Service in a five-year program focusing on community education and fire mitigation. Through this program, CORE engages the community through outreach programs and provides valuable and free home defensible-space assessments.

During these assessments, staff create and share a detailed private report that aims to help homeowners recognize potential areas of fire concern. Report suggestions can focus on clearing brush or low-lying grasses within five feet of the house or trimming any low-hanging tree branches near a roof.

CORE is also providing fuel-clearing services to 500 homes to address problems identified during home assessments. This important work will help harden homes and give residents an added layer of fire protection.

Such mitigation efforts in Siskiyou increase neighborhood resiliency, effectively reducing the intensity of a fire’s blaze and giving first responders enough of a buffer to get the upper hand when addressing future fires.

If you would like to learn more about CORE’s work in Siskiyou County, you can find information here.

Please click here if you live in the community and want to sign up for a free home assessment.

Big Tujunga Canyon, California

CORE team member clearing out overgrown branches in Big Tujunga Canyon, to help prevent wildfires. — CORE works to clear overgrown and dry brush in Big Tujunga Canyon.(CORE photo by Tori Serrano)

CORE staff and members of the US Forest Service pose for a picture in front of a large Forest Service truck. — CORE has worked with the Forest Service to help reduce dangerous fuels in Big Tujunga Canyon.(CORE photo by Matt Gsell)

Since September 2023, CORE has worked with the US Forest Service and the Big Tujunga Fire Safe Council to take on a brush-clearing operation in Big Tujunga Canyon in the Angeles National Forest, less than 20 miles from Downtown Los Angeles.

Members of the Forest Service, CORE staff, and a team of dedicated volunteers conduct this vital work during weekend operations in an effort to mitigate the adverse effects of wildfires. Volunteers and staff work together to remove dead brush, trim overgrown vegetation, pile it up, and clear it out to eliminate fuel for fires and create strategic fire breaks.

These forest management practices are critical given the recent years of heavy rains and hot summers, which have led to an explosion of growth and an abundance of dry materials that are prime for fire.

Maui, Hawaii

A view of destruction in Maui after the fire went through the area. — Lahaina after the destructive and deadly wildfire in August 2023. (CORE photo by Sunny Lee)

CORE staff distributed important cash cards to residents in need after the wildfire. (CORE photo by Sunny Lee)

Construction progress on of the structures in CORE's housing pilot. — One of CORE's housing pilot homes under construction. (CORE photo by Sunny Lee)

In August 2023, a horrific wildfire fueled by an unprecedented drought swept through the town of Lahaina, destroying much of the picturesque town and killing 102 people. The event shocked the world and left locals scrambling to recover.

In the aftermath of the fire, CORE responded quickly. Collaborating with local partners, including Maui Rapid Response, CORE provided vital cash assistance. This critical lifeline helped those affected manage their most pressing issues at the time of need, which included food and housing costs.

CORE also worked on a pilot housing program that supported families whose homes were damaged or lost in the fire. CORE partnered with local families to renovate or convert unused or underutilized spaces into sustainable, long-term housing solutions.

In the face of these climate-fueled catastrophes, CORE understands the importance of communities coming together and rallying around those affected. By working with local partners and residents, we know those impacted can be uplifted and supported as they move into the next chapter of their lives.

Please visit our response landing page to learn more about CORE’s work in Maui.

If you would like to volunteer, please click here for updates and more information, or fill out this form to sign up.