When enjoying nature, don’t smoke, have open fires or barbecues during red flag (hot and dry weather) warnings. (Note: these activities are prohibited at Open Space Authority preserves year-round). For general hot weather safety tips, click here.

At your home, make small modifications to protect yourself by removing dry brush from your yard, avoiding planting greenery up against the walls of your home and creating an evacuation plan. Also, when buying balloons for a party, avoid mylar balloons as they can spark a fire when caught in power lines.

Also, apps like Watch Duty can give you up-to-date information about wildfires near your home, giving you plenty of time to evacuate when needed.

Additional Resources:

• Santa Clara County Fire – Wildfire Preparedness
• Cal Fire – Ready, Set, Go
• OEM – Wildfire Safety
• Ready – Wildfires

• While enjoying nature, it's important to know where you are and be aware of your surroundings. If you spot a fire, dial 9-1-1 immediately. 
• If the fire is nearby, make your way back to the preserve staging area quickly and safely—don’t wait to see how things unfold.

The Open Space Authority is funded primarily from an ongoing $24 annual parcel tax, referred to as the Open Space, Wildlife Habitat, Clean Water and Increased Public Access Funding Measure and a benefit assessment, referred to as District 1. 

The modest tax per parcel generates approximately $12 million per year and allows the Open Space Authority to, among many initiatives, preserve local lands and your open space preserves. Your tax dollars make it possible for the Authority to reduce dry brush, hire on-site field staff to monitor preserve conditions and conserve land that acts as a buffer between residential areas and wildfires.

Wildfires can impact public health in many ways:

• When wildfires happen, they release smoke and tiny particles into the air. Breathing this dirty air can hurt our heart, lungs and brain. It can also increase the chances of serious illness or death, especially for people with existing health problems.
• Wildfires are scary. People who live through them may suffer injuries or lose their homes, and the fear and stress can take a serious toll on mental health. This kind of trauma can last long after the flames are gone.
• Wildfires can impact local hospitals, pollute water and ruin crops—hurting the basic things people need to stay safe and healthy. 

Most wildfires are caused by people, but climate change makes things worse. Hotter temperatures lead to more droughts and dry plants, allowing fires to spread faster, grow bigger and burn hotter.

Many habitats and wildlife are adapted to fire in California, in part because of millennia of burning by local tribes to manage the landscape. Modern fires, however, can burn more intensely due to a changing climate and damage habitat and wildlife. Intense fires may wipe out plants that animals rely on for food and shelter. As fires spread, wildlife often flee their habitats, which can lead to injuries, stress or death. Even after the fire ends, the damage can make it hard for them to return and survive. Over time, these landscapes recover from wildfire and wildlife returns. 

If you have questions about how the Open Space Authority reduces fire risk, or how we coordinate with other agencies, please visit our Contact page, or email us at info@openspaceauthority.org.