The Silverado Fire Safe Council would like to share some important information regarding our community. Providing our members various information about our area demonstrates the necessary attention needed for preparedness.
Your Council is a group of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about making our community better prepared in the event of a wildfire. The council is non-funded and depends heavily on individual community donations. Please consider making a donation.
Or if you prefer using a check, please make the check out to our fiscal sponsor (Napa Communities Firewise Foundation) with Silverado Fire Safe Council in the memo line. Mail the check to Napa Communities Firewise Foundation at PO Box 440B, St. Helena, CA 94574. NCFF is a 501(c)(e) organization, tax id #26-0147748.
Your Council is a group of dedicated volunteers who are passionate about making our community better prepared in the event of a wildfire. The council is non-funded and depends heavily on individual community donations. Please consider making a donation.
Or if you prefer using a check, please make the check out to our fiscal sponsor (Napa Communities Firewise Foundation) with Silverado Fire Safe Council in the memo line. Mail the check to Napa Communities Firewise Foundation at PO Box 440B, St. Helena, CA 94574. NCFF is a 501(c)(e) organization, tax id #26-0147748.
FIRE SAFE council - mission statement
Promote the safety of the Silverado Community by collaboration with all interested and affected home/landowners to reduce the risk of wildfire damage. This will be accomplished through:
- Support of the Napa County Fire Wise Plan,
- Partnerships with CalFIRE, Napa Communities Fire Wise Foundation, HOAs and non-HOA Areas, and Home/landowners,
- Promotion of fire safety actions,
- Education, and
- Home hardening
- Landscaping
REDUCE HAZADOUS FUELS PROGRAM
Dear Silverado Property Owners Association Residents:
Fire Mitigation Efforts - 2022
During this past year numerous projects to reduce and mitigate the volume of fuel for fires have occurred in the community. The fuel break funded and overseen by Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (Napa Firewise) resulting in completion of a 200-to-300-foot break along the north and northeast portion of the community. This also included a fire access road at 2040 Atlas Peak Road. Overall funding for this work originated from a CAL FIRE grant and Napa County. The Silverado Fire Safe Council (SFSC) funded the necessary work for the CEQA exemption.
In the spring of 2022, three fuel mitigation projects along the Milliken creek were completed. These projects consisted of creek work behind the B&C condos, Oak Creek East, and Creekside. Funds were provided to the areas through Napa Firewise grants and the work was overseen by the Napa Firewise staff. Additional fuel reduction in the Milliken Creek channel was completed by Napa County Flood Control. The Silverado Fire Safe Council was very involved in the grant application process and the review of the sites. Funding for these projects came through a Napa Firewise allocation of Senator Bill Dodd’s December 2021 fundraising event.
In August, the Fire Safe Council hosted a Fire Safe Fair at the Silverado Resort. Over 300 visitors were able to gain information of home hardening, personal safety, fuel mitigation, insurance and more from 30 vendors and first responders.
In October, the SFSC submitted a new action plan to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for renewal of the Firewise USA certificate of recognition to continue to be a designated Firewise community. In 2023, a full reassessment of the community fire risk will be conducted to continue the recognition into 2024. This process of renewal forces our community to work together in providing education and making the community safer for human lives and property in the event of another fire. This also supports obtaining grant funding, reduction in insurance rates, and compliance with new California statutes regarding insurance.
With the failure to pass Measure L in June, Napa Firewise is continuing to search for grant funding to support their plans for fuel mitigation throughout the county. The SFSC has some funds which will be available to homeowners for approved projects. Those projects will require completion of an application, submission to the Fire Safe Council for approval followed by CAL FIRE approval and Napa Firewise approval. The Council’s funds depend on the generosity of the community residents. The CAL FIRE Foundation liaison and the County code enforcement officer have determined two priorities for our community along Milliken Creek
For more information on the council please contact the SFSC chair Linda Cantey at [email protected] and for information on the the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation visit www.napafirewise.org. Tax deductible donations to the Silverado Fire Safe Council, via Napa Firewise, can be made online here, or checks can be mailed to Napa Firewise, P.O. Box 440B, St. Helena, CA 94574: be sure to designate Silverado FSC in the check memo or on an enclosure.
We not only encourage contributions to the SFSC, but we also thank those who have contributed in the past to our funds.
Susan Deringer, past Chair of the Silverado Fire Safe Council
Shari Gardner, Napa Firewise Wildfire Preparedness Director
Fire Mitigation Efforts - 2022
During this past year numerous projects to reduce and mitigate the volume of fuel for fires have occurred in the community. The fuel break funded and overseen by Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (Napa Firewise) resulting in completion of a 200-to-300-foot break along the north and northeast portion of the community. This also included a fire access road at 2040 Atlas Peak Road. Overall funding for this work originated from a CAL FIRE grant and Napa County. The Silverado Fire Safe Council (SFSC) funded the necessary work for the CEQA exemption.
In the spring of 2022, three fuel mitigation projects along the Milliken creek were completed. These projects consisted of creek work behind the B&C condos, Oak Creek East, and Creekside. Funds were provided to the areas through Napa Firewise grants and the work was overseen by the Napa Firewise staff. Additional fuel reduction in the Milliken Creek channel was completed by Napa County Flood Control. The Silverado Fire Safe Council was very involved in the grant application process and the review of the sites. Funding for these projects came through a Napa Firewise allocation of Senator Bill Dodd’s December 2021 fundraising event.
In August, the Fire Safe Council hosted a Fire Safe Fair at the Silverado Resort. Over 300 visitors were able to gain information of home hardening, personal safety, fuel mitigation, insurance and more from 30 vendors and first responders.
In October, the SFSC submitted a new action plan to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) for renewal of the Firewise USA certificate of recognition to continue to be a designated Firewise community. In 2023, a full reassessment of the community fire risk will be conducted to continue the recognition into 2024. This process of renewal forces our community to work together in providing education and making the community safer for human lives and property in the event of another fire. This also supports obtaining grant funding, reduction in insurance rates, and compliance with new California statutes regarding insurance.
With the failure to pass Measure L in June, Napa Firewise is continuing to search for grant funding to support their plans for fuel mitigation throughout the county. The SFSC has some funds which will be available to homeowners for approved projects. Those projects will require completion of an application, submission to the Fire Safe Council for approval followed by CAL FIRE approval and Napa Firewise approval. The Council’s funds depend on the generosity of the community residents. The CAL FIRE Foundation liaison and the County code enforcement officer have determined two priorities for our community along Milliken Creek
For more information on the council please contact the SFSC chair Linda Cantey at [email protected] and for information on the the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation visit www.napafirewise.org. Tax deductible donations to the Silverado Fire Safe Council, via Napa Firewise, can be made online here, or checks can be mailed to Napa Firewise, P.O. Box 440B, St. Helena, CA 94574: be sure to designate Silverado FSC in the check memo or on an enclosure.
We not only encourage contributions to the SFSC, but we also thank those who have contributed in the past to our funds.
Susan Deringer, past Chair of the Silverado Fire Safe Council
Shari Gardner, Napa Firewise Wildfire Preparedness Director
FLAMMABLE BRUSH CLEANUP - July 2021
I am pleased to report that Angel's Tree Care has this week completed cleanup of the unsightly and dangerous flammable brush in the two sections of ravine on upper Westgate Drive. We had earlier announced that this work was underway.
Property owners in the upper Westgate neighborhood, which was hard-hit by the Atlas Fire in 2017, brought this situation to SPOA's attention earlier this year. SPOA appropriated funds to cover the project in the April 30 Board of Directors meeting. Michael Karath of the Silverado Community Services District conducted a bid process which attracted eight bidders. Angel's was the lowest bidder. The "before" and "after" photos below illustrate both the extent of the problem and the thoroughness of the remediation work performed by Angel's crew. We thank both Mr. Karath and local SPOA Director Joel Blumer, who spearheaded this effort.
This brush-clearing is simply one small piece of the much larger effort which will be required to make a significant improvement in Silverado's readiness for the inevitable next wildfire. Along with the Fire Safe Council, SPOA will continue pushing for sufficient public and private funding for an effective remediation effort in the much larger stretch of wild country north and east of our neighborhoods. We urge all our owners to get fully on board with this essential project.
Bill Foureman
President, SPOA
Property owners in the upper Westgate neighborhood, which was hard-hit by the Atlas Fire in 2017, brought this situation to SPOA's attention earlier this year. SPOA appropriated funds to cover the project in the April 30 Board of Directors meeting. Michael Karath of the Silverado Community Services District conducted a bid process which attracted eight bidders. Angel's was the lowest bidder. The "before" and "after" photos below illustrate both the extent of the problem and the thoroughness of the remediation work performed by Angel's crew. We thank both Mr. Karath and local SPOA Director Joel Blumer, who spearheaded this effort.
This brush-clearing is simply one small piece of the much larger effort which will be required to make a significant improvement in Silverado's readiness for the inevitable next wildfire. Along with the Fire Safe Council, SPOA will continue pushing for sufficient public and private funding for an effective remediation effort in the much larger stretch of wild country north and east of our neighborhoods. We urge all our owners to get fully on board with this essential project.
Bill Foureman
President, SPOA
BEFORE
AFTER
FLAMMABLE LANDSCAPE
