In addition to preparing for Public Safety Power Shutoffs, EBMUD works throughout the year to reduce and slow the spread of wildfires and protect water quality.
EBMUD carefully manages 57,000 acres of open space here in the East Bay and in the Sierra Nevada foothills. We build fuel breaks, remove highly flammable vegetation and partner with local fire departments to conduct controlled burns. Our rangers and maintenance staff also manage vegetation near EBMUD facilities and rights-of-way using a variety of tools, from tractors and chippers to grazing goats. The schedule for that work can be found at ebmud.com/about-us/vegetation-management.
There is also plenty you can do to help protect yourself and your community from fire danger. Clear weeds, thin trees and trim bushes to create defensible space around your home. Remove dead plants, dry leaves and pine needles from your yard and gutters. These and other firescaping measures are essential, and in many places required by fire codes and ordinances. Check with your local fire district for details where you live.
EBMUD offers a 15-page guide for residents and landscape professionals in wildfire-prone areas in the East Bay hills and beyond. To order your free copy of Firescape: Landscaping to Reduce Fire Hazard, visit ebmud.com/firescape. Update your contact information on ebmud.com so we can reach you in an emergency.