NO BHA MONTHLY MEETING IN AUGUST. SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER! |
San Vicente Median Greening
Last Saturday, StreetsLA presented its concept for the greening of the San Vicente median between Darlington and Montana. The proposal, illustrated in the above rendering, would include keeping the coral trees and planting new ones as well as replacing all turf with drought-tolerant landscaping that includes shrubs, ground cover and accent plants. Those in attendance were asked to vote on plants and shrubs they preferred. You can learn more about the project at this dedicated website. There will be online voting in the weeks ahead, which we will share. While this is only one portion of the median which stretches to 26th Street from Bringham, it will most likely be the template for the other portions if and when money is available. BHA will be discussing this project at its September meeting.
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Zone 0 Board of Forestry Meeting Monday
The Zone 0 Advisory Committee is hosting another meeting in Sacramento and on Zoom, Monday August 18 at 10:00 am to discuss the draft regulations. The next meeting will be held in Southern California on September 18 (location tbd). From the beginning we have argued for region-specific guidelines, not mandates. We are pleased that the committee will come to Southern California to hear directly from those affected by these rules and will see houses in the Palisades and Altadena that survived with hydrated vegetation within five feet of their structures. We will need everyone to show up for this meeting to make their voices heard. In the meantime, keep those comments coming.
Please send this email before Monday's meeting. |
This Is Not a Misinformation Campaign
BHA is working with other community groups, ecological experts and UCLA scientists to address the flaws in the current Zone 0 regulations. All of us who live in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones have complied with defensible space requirements through annual brush clearance inspections. We understand the need to clear dead vegetation and keep trees trimmed. This is what the Board of Forestry does not understand:
"Wildfire scientist Jon Keeley of the U.S. Geological Survey warns that in wind-driven fires, homes themselves become the primary fuel, not the surrounding vegetation. He emphasizes that once embers are airborne, “fuels are definitely not relevant… because the primary fuels are the homes” LAist
This underscores a crucial shift in perspective: rather than blanket vegetation removal, fire safety strategies should prioritize home hardening, ember-resistant construction, and community-wide preparedness. We heard first hand in February from Dr. Jon Keeley that wind flown embers determined the fire, NOT fuel management.
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Don't Miss this Meeting!
As part of its efforts as a fire safe council, BHA has met with our State representatives regarding brush clearance in the Santa Monica Mountains in Brentwood and looked at ways to assist in required fuel management to create defensible space in our state lands. These efforts took us to BurnBot. MySafe:LA is will have the founder of BurnBot at their next meeting Thursday, where you can learn first hand how technology can assist in keeping us safe.
In addition, Councilwoman Yaroslavsky will attend the meeting. In January, Yaroslavksy sponsored a motion to implement restrictions and protocols to keep us safe during severe weather events and Red Flag Days. BHA sent this letter to urge our Councilmember and City Council, months after its approval, to press for the report back and to take action. This is our opportunity to ask her about this motion and other actions the Council is taking to keep us safe from the next fire.
MySafe:LA Regional Fire Safe Council Town Hall
Thursday, August 21 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM | via Zoom |
BHA Comments on Sepulveda Transit Corridor Draft EIR
After attending informational meetings with Metro as well as the private partnerships that would build the proposed alternatives, BHA has submitted comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report on the project. You can see why BHA supports Alternatives 3, 4 or 5 here and the summary of the Project alternatives here. In addition, Congressman Brad Sherman is asking for feedback through this survey. If you would like submit your own comments on the Project, you can do so here.
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