Fire-ey Questions, June-July-Aug 2025
By Judy Beust Harrington and Amy Dyson, Co-Chairs, Kensington Fire Safe (KFS)
Kensington Fire Safe Council will share researched answers to your inquiries and over 85 questions posed at November’s Montezuma Fire forum. Send fire-related questions to info@kensingtonfiresafe.org.
Q #1 Will increased safety regulations apply to the 30,000+ acres removed from our former “High Fire Hazard Severity Zones?”
A: Recently-issued State Fire Hazard maps shocked many by eliminating so many acres from the “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones,” meaning a host of fire safety building, land use, inspections and other regulations would no longer apply in these eliminated areas.
Concerned local Fire Safe Councils invited fire officials to address these concerns at a May forum where CAL FIRE Chief Brian Barkley explained new California legislation required the State Fire Marshal to define not just “Very High” hazard zones, but for the first time, also “High” and “Moderate” zones. The maps are final for the mostly rural “State Responsibility Areas.” However, urban “Local Responsibility Areas” like San Diego, may add acreage to the maps, but none can be deleted.
San Diego Assistant Fire Marshal Dan Hypes told us many of the formerly “very high” areas in the city were downgraded to “high” and “moderate” levels. The good news is the city plans to re-designate much of these “High” and “Moderate” areas to “Very High,” as well as add some canyon areas and a 300-foot buffer zones for potential ember cast. The proposed revised map should be on the city’s website soon.
According to AFM Hypes, 20,000 acres will likely be added to the City’s designated Very High Fire Zones. While this is less than the number removed from the designation, the 30,000 acres covered federal lands that shouldn’t have been included in the first place. Fiesta Island may also be removed, since it is uninhabited and surrounded by water.
Other speakers from CAL FIRE included Deputy Chief Ryan Silva and Captain Thomas Shoots, and from SDFR, Captain Alma Lowry and Assistant Fire Marshal Alex Kane. Alvarado Estates, Kensington Fire Safe and Rolando Park Fire Safe Councils organized the forum.Thanks to SD Urban Wildfire (sdurbanwildfire.org), pictures, the presentation and a full meeting recording can be found at: https://www.sdurbanwildfire.org/fire-safe-council-forum/
CAL FIRE and San Diego Fire Rescue officials explain the new high fire hazard maps to attendees at a May 21st forum organized by local Fire Safe Councils
Q #2: Why is Kensington Fire Safe Co-Chair Amy Dyson smiling broadly in this picture?
A: Last month, San Diego Regional Fire Foundation awarded 31 Fire Safe Councils (FSCs), including Kensington Fire Safe, grants totaling $300,000 to aid in wildfire prevention and preparedness, including community education to make their neighborhoods safer.
Kensington Fire Safe was excited to receive one of the grants to help power our 2025-2026 projects including what we hope will be our biggest Dumpathons yet – one this fall and another in the spring of 2026. Last April nearly 20 tons of flammable trimmings from mostly canyon backyards were hauled away from our community during the Dumpathon. We’re all grateful to neighbors who plan their outdoor cleanups around the arrival of the dumpsters. In response to high demand, we are now bringing in larger capacity dumpsters and some fill up within a couple of days!
KFS, along with thirteen new Fire Safe Councils in just the last year, are all working hard with neighbors to make our city safer. We don’t want to be L.A.! The City of San Diego alone had several new FSCs this year, including Normal Heights, College Canyons, College East, Rolando Park Talmadge. Several others are beginning to organize as well.
Lastly, Dumpathon Shines in Parade
Special thanks to KFS volunteer Pam Rainey for her very original “Dumpster Diver Team” float in this year’s 43rd Kensington Memorial Day Parade. A great way to celebrate the 20 tons of flammable trimmings hauled out of our community in 17 dumpsters during our recent Spring Dumpathon!
Special thanks to #1 Dumpathon Co-chairs, Mike Baldwin and Peter Peschke for their tireless leadership, #2 Sean Elo Rivera’s office for providing tipping passes, and #3 to the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, SD River Conservancy, SDG&E and Kensington residents for funding this effort. EDCO Disposal also donates dumpsters for our Dumpathons.
And, much appreciation to all the folks who shouted, “We Love Kensington Fire Safe” during the parade – that was very gratifying to hear!
Frequent Dumpster-minder, Pam Rainey, leads our first ever Memorial Day Float
KFS Co-chair Amy Dyson and husband & loyal volunteer Brian proudly carry our banner in the Kensington Memorial Day Parade.