A new Wildfire Hazard Map released Wednesday will help residents of San Diego County prepare for peak fire season months.
Here's how it works: when residents visit the website, they can type in an address and the map will pull up risk zones for the area and nearby areas as well as showing users related links, the name of the closest fire station and a guide for fire preparedness.
Fire Chief Tony Mecham said so far, humidity and rain have helped prevent major fires across the county, and the much anticipated El Nino should help as well.
"It's their home, we want to save their home, so we're just asking the community to take some ownership of the fire problem," he said.
According to the map, more than a third of the county is designated as 'high' or 'very high' risk zones, as defined by state officials.
“Wildfire is a year-round threat in our region, but fall can be especially brutal,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who represents East County, in a statement. “The online map is an eye-opening reminder of the risks we face, but it also provides critical information on fire protection and preparedness.”
The map was built with existing wildfire conditions data collected by California fire officials.
