Workshops

We have several workshop offerings to increase your community’s preparedness for wildfire!

Fire Operations in the Wildland Urban Interface Workshop

Some of the most at-risk areas for wildfire are in the Wildland Urban Interface, or WUI, which is defined as residential areas that abut to open space. As more people, homes, and businesses move closer to open space, the risk of wildfire damage is increasing. Although we can’t stop fires from happening altogether, we can reduce the damage they cause by learning how fires behave and how we can be better prepared.

Our “Fire Operations in the Wildland Urban Interface” workshops teach the principles used by firefighters in suppressing wildland fires and protecting structures in the WUI.

  • One day in-depth course taught by experts in the field from CAL Fire, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego. 

  • Participants learn about fire behavior prediction and how to apply this knowledge to their community’s topography, fuels, weather, and home construction.

  • Training includes a field trip to selected homes to do a site assessment on lessons learned.

  • Participants will also learn about evacuation and valuable survival tips they can utilize in the event of a fire.

Last Chance Survival Simulation Workshop

What should you do if you find yourself in an scenario where you cannot evacuate? What is the most informed decision you can make?

Learn from experts in the field about wildfire entrapments and human survival in the wildland fire environment. Some topics covered include recognition primed decision-making, open-source fire intelligence, contingency planning, and other practices that may enhance the likelihood of surviving in a fire entrapment scenario.

The Last Chance Survival Simulation Workshop curriculum expands on “Ready Set Go”, a widely accepted statewide standard for wildfire preparation, and our “Fire Operations in the Wildland Urban Interface” Workshop. This workshop was developed to help people navigate the infinite variabilities of a wildland fire scenario and to be prepared if evacuation isn’t an option. 

This day-long workshop starts in the classroom, where students learn through case studies what variables and choices to consider when in a wildland fire entrapment scenario. Next, the workshop focuses on the nervous system’s response to stress and planning models. As the workshop moves into the afternoon, we head out to the field where participants interact with the planning model “PACE”, examining how the effects of time, topography, fire behavior, and psychology compound and complicate survival. 

Are you interested in having a workshop in your community? We can host one of the above workshops, or create an abridged course to fit your needs. Reach out to our program coordinator, Morgan Graves, at morgan.graves@rcdsandiego.org to book a workshop today!

 

Check the calendar for a workshop in your community.