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Make a Difference in Your Community!
Are you passionate about keeping Mill Creek safe and prepared? Mill Creek COPE needs YOU to join our team of dedicated Volunteers!
Here's why you should become a Mill Creek COPE volunteer:
Be a Champion for Preparedness: Help your neighbours understand how to be ready for emergencies.
Build Stronger Connections: Get to know your neighbours and create a network of support within your community.
Make a Real Impact: Your efforts will directly contribute to a more resilient Mill Creek.
Flexible Time Commitment: Volunteer for as little as a few hours a month, with increased involvement during emergencies.
We have exciting volunteer opportunities in all Mill Creek area neighbourhoods (see zone details):
Community Outreach Volunteers: Share emergency preparedness information and resources with your neighbours.
Neighbourhood Leads: Be one of the point persons for your area, keeping residents informed and connected. This role requires a bit more time but offers a chance to make a significant leadership impact.
Ready to join us? We'd love to hear from you!
Please email us at info [at] millcreekready [dot] org for more details.
Together, we can keep Mill Creek as a prepared and empowered community!
Below are some examples of the steps we are taking to accomplish our goals this year:
Vegetation Management Strategies
New Fire District Annexation: Resolution of the Northern Sonoma County Fire Protection District Forming Service Zone 1, A Comprehensive Vegetation Management Zone to provide fuel reduction, implementation of comprehensive wildfire protection plans, vegetation management project planning, environmental review, and permitting. It will be funded through various mechanisms, including area property taxes.
Grazing goats for hazardous fuel reduction: Coordinated by Chief Marshall Turbeville. We prepared a letter in support of a grant proposal submitted by Conservation Works, North Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council. The grant was submitted to the CAL Fire Wildfire Prevention Grants Program.
Alternative Evacuation Route (AER): Inspection & Maintenance. With thanks to O. Max (land owner) for his support.
Flood Resources
Communications Recommendations for Mill Creek Neighborhood Leaders
Repairing Mill Creek Rd.
Mill Creek Road has experienced catastrophic road damage in some areas and severe damage in others. Sonoma County Facilities prioritized places with “stretch marks” on the pavement and places where the loss of structural integrity in road embankments was evident.
The "Design and Permit" phases occurred in late 2023.
"Patches" were added through 2024, where appropriate.
Storm damage funds from SoCo Districts 4 and 5 must be allocated to fix the damage permanently.
Other Sonoma County Programs
Burn Pile Guide Tips for Building and Extinguishing a Burn Pile in Sonoma County, California
Volunteers from the Good Fire Alliance have issued a burn pile guide for Sonoma County — with a few updated links and phone numbers — the document can be found on their website.
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Tending the Land for Fire Resilience in Sonoma County
Tending the Land for Fire Resilience in Sonoma County is a guide for anyone living or working in Sonoma County who is interested in stewarding land to achieve various goals, from developing fire resilience to conserving water, enhancing wildlife habitat, and more.
Tending the Land is meant to inform and empower land stewards of all kinds, from individuals to community groups to professionals. It should be the first resource landowners and stewards in Sonoma County reach for.
Tending the Land has an ample amount of resources to help the people of Sonoma County learn, plan, and do the work to help make the place we call home safer from wildfire. Take a few minutes to check out some of the amazing resources they've put together! Find out which agencies have funds and advice to help you with your property management and home protection goals. Biologist Dan Grout — former Co-Lead of Mill Creek COPE — contributed to this online guide, among many other experts in their respective fields. Visit their website at https://tendingtheland.org.
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Salmonid Habitat Restoration Priorities (SHaRP) Action Plan for Four Lower Russian River Tributaries
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and NOAA Fisheries are excited to announce that the Salmonid Habitat Restoration Priorities (SHaRP) Action Plan for Four Lower Russian River Tributaries has been finalized and published. A copy of the document is attached.
You can also find copies at:
CDFW: North Coast Salmon Project
NOAA Fisheries: Collaborating to Identify Salmon Habitat Restoration Priorities in California Watersheds.
If you have any questions, comments, or project ideas, please contact mary.olswang[at]wildlife.ca.gov or kate.spear[at]noaa.gov.
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Summary of the Point Fire
How was the Point Fire fought?
What factors kept it from spreading past Mountain View Ranch Rd?
What lessons can benefit our local efforts to be fire-ready?
In this 15-minute video produced by Cal Fire, Chief Marshall Turbeville (Northern Sonoma County Fire District) takes us to the area of four prescribed burns from 2022 that created a buffer zone where Cal Fire could stop the 2024 Point Fire. The section on prescribed fires starts at about 8.56 min.
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Sonoma County Wildfire Adapted (SoCo Adapts) Assessments are ending December 15, 2024
Free wildfire risk assessments in the SoCo Adapts program areas end on December 15, 2024. If you are in the program area, you may be eligible for up to $10,000 in rebates or contracted work to accomplish the high-priority risk reduction activities identified in the assessments. Defensible Space Assessments have been completed on most properties in the project areas. For properties with a home, you must request a free Structure Hardening Assessment in order to be eligible for the rebates for those activities.
Call or email for info! Please call or email us to schedule your structure hardening assessment before December 15, 2024
Important steps you can take:
Structure Assessments must be scheduled before December 15, 2024. Contact us at WildfireAdapted@sonoma-county.org or 707-565-8575 to schedule yours before time runs out!
Fill out the Rebate Interest Survey at www.socoadapts.org so we know you may be interested in receiving up to $10K to help make your property more wildfire resilient. Completing this survey does not commit you to participating in the SoCo Adapts program, but it will help us inform our funder that people want financial help to create more resilient homes and properties.
Questions? Please contact us via email at WildfireAdapted@sonoma-county.org or by phone at 707-565-8575. Find more information about SoCoAdapts at www.socodapts.org.
En Español
¡Condado de Sonoma Wildfire Adapted (SoCo Adapts) Evaluaciones finalizan el 15 de diciembre de 2024!
Las evaluaciones gratuitas de riesgos de incendios forestales en las áreas del programa SoCo Adapts finalizarán el 15 de diciembre de 2024. Si se encuentra en el área del programa, puede ser elegible para recibir hasta $10,000 en reembolsos o trabajo contratado para realizar las actividades de reducción de riesgos de alta prioridad identificadas en las evaluaciones. Se han completado evaluaciones de espacio defendible en la mayoría de las propiedades en las áreas del proyecto. Para las propiedades con vivienda, debe solicitar una evaluación gratuita de endurecimiento de la estructura para poder ser elegible para los reembolsos por esas actividades.
¡Llame o envíenos un correo electrónico para obtener más información! Llame o envíenos un correo electrónico para programar su evaluación de endurecimiento de la estructura antes del 15 de diciembre de 202.
Pasos importantes que puede seguir:
¡Las evaluaciones de estructura deben programarse antes del 15 de diciembre de 2024! Comuníquese con nosotros en WildfireAdapted@sonoma-county.org o 707-565-8575 para programar el suyo antes de que se acabe el tiempo!
Complete la encuesta de interés de reembolso en www.socoadapts.org para saber su interés en recibir hasta $10,000 para ayudar a que su propiedad sea más resistente a los incendios forestales. Completar esta encuesta no lo compromete a participar en el programa SoCo Adapts, pero nos ayudará a informar a nuestro financiador que la gente desea ayuda financiera para crear hogares y propiedades más resilientes.
¿Preguntas? Por favor contáctenos por correo electrónico, WildfireAdapted@sonoma-county.org o por teléfono, 707-565-8575. Puede encontrar más información sobre SoCoAdapts en www.socoadapts.org
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