THE CURRENT EMBER PROPOSAL AS WRITTEN IS AN IMPRACTICAL OVER REACH
We believe in inclusive and transparent public policy
THE CURRENT EMBER PROPOSAL AS WRITTEN IS AN IMPRACTICAL OVER REACH
our environment needs to be protected
Plants are not the Enemy
"It is evident that urban trees and plants didn’t cause the spread of this fire. The homes themselves, along with cars, were the most combustible part of the landscape. This was seen in satellite views of the nighttime city. Even trees that are considered highly flammable, like pines and Deodars, were standing unharmed with green needles after the fire scorched their bark. Their fire damage came from being too near burning homes rather than from embers. When trees were found burned, they were usually surrounded by burned homes on all sides or multiple cars."
A Less Flammable Plant Will Have:
- Large and broad leaves rather than needle and blade-like leaves.
- Moist and easily bent leaves instead of stiff and leather-like leaves.
- Thick leaves instead of fine or thin leaves.
- A low amount of litter rather than a lot of duff.
- Sap that looks more like water opposed to thick, gummy or resinous sap.
- Leaves and stems without a fragrance, opposed to strong aromatic qualities.
- Leaves that are silver or gray.
- Leaves without hair (cilia)..
Fire – the Hardiness of Camellia’s
“It is obvious from this experience that Camellias are extremely hardy plants to many different conditions, and can hold their place with Natives through bushfires with one added advantage because of their thick moist leaves they act as a good fire protection barrier and I have no doubt, had it not been for the number of large Camellias between my home and the fire front, the house too could have been badly damaged, or completely lost. I am slowly replacing as many of the Camellias as possible, in gratitude for what they have done in help saving my property, and because I know now they are as tough as any other plant that likes acid soils, including Natives.”
"Evergreen broad-leaved tree species, Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze., densely grew in the band areas along the power transmission line. Located in the Jieshou Forest Farm, Chun’an County, Zhejiang Province, which was a replacement of the previous all-removed fuelbreaks built for preventing fires caused by faulty power lines. The reuse of the open land by planting a fire-resistant species represents the integration of the demand for forest fire prevention with economic output and ecological conservation."
"The removal of trees and plants can significantly increase the risk of land erosion and landslides. Trees and plants help stabilize the soil by anchoring it with their roots, reducing the impact of rain on the ground, and increasing water infiltration.When these stabilizing elements are removed, the soil becomes more susceptible to erosion by wind and water, leading to landslides."
"For years, the standard advice has been to remove as much vegetation as possible, cover everything in gravel, and hope for the best. But here’s the truth: a bare landscape isn’t a fireproof one. In fact, stripping away all plant life can make fires worse by increasing heat and creating conditions that allow flames to spread even faster."
"This is where fire-resilient landscaping comes in. Instead of working against nature, this method works with it, creating outdoor spaces that slow fire spread, reduce wind-driven embers, and keep soil and plant life healthy—all while maintaining beauty, biodiversity, and water efficiency. By making ecologically-sound, water-smart, and sustainable landscaping choices —you can create a space that not only protects your home but also helps regenerate LA’s natural ecosystems."
A postdoc study analysis has discovered some quick numbers out of the new CALFIRE tree canopy cover dataset
"Unfortunately Berkeley already saw a tree canopy cover decrease in Zone 0 in the last few years.
An analysis of 21,318 buildings in the city, gathered this summary:
- 627 buildings are in High Fire Risk
- 727 buildings in Moderate Fire Risk
- 1,422 buildings in Very High Fire Risk
Across all risk categories, even in Non-Wildlands areas, vegetation cover decreased over these four years.
These results are only for Zone 0 (the first 5 feet surrounding buildings), so we’re already getting a sense of how much vegetation would need to be removed to comply with the new regulations (87.6 acres more and less 66 American football for some reference).
While canopy cover loss is a general trend across CA and elsewhere, we need to ensure that new policies are sensible and grounded in science and hard evidence."
Benefits of Fire-Retardant Paint:
- Increased Safety:By delaying combustion and limiting fire spread, fire-retardant paints provide a crucial safety measure, allowing for faster evacuation and reducing the risk of serious injury or loss of life.
RELEVANT STUDIES
The ask
* Task Force to Develop an Inclusive Proposal
* Clear and Specific Compliance Requirements
* Establishment of a Financial Mitigation Fund
* Alternative Solutions
* A Study to Determine Environmental Impacts
* Professional Household Inspections
* No Excessive Criminal Penalties or Timelines