AHAH Monthly Program Update - California (May 2021)

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RELIEF UPDATE MAY 2021

TOTAL PROGRAM IMPACT

5 2,582 18 368

ACRES CLEARED

VOLUNTEER HOURS

VOLUNTEER TRAINEES

HAZARD TREES FELLED

Current Activities After running two successful pilots of volunteer sawyer training over the past three months, we were delighted to transition this program to our DM12 volunteer model at the end of April. Our first cohort of DM12 volunteers arrived on April 18 and following a great first week of training, is now out in the field continuing our wildfire mitigation project to create a fuel break around the town of Paradise, as well as removing hazard trees on private residential properties in Paradise.

The team is also continuing to work with our local partners to design and develop our recovery scope of work, which will focus on interior home repair in Paradise. We look forward to starting the first home in the coming months.

Volunteer Spotlight "I have been really impressed with the quality of training so far & the ability to take time to walk though every aspect of the sawing process".

Matt Farrington, DM12 volunteer.

Matt has previously completed the S212 training with AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team and been certified as a B feller. Matt was also in Paradise with Americorps following the Camp Fire in 2018.

He helped with volunteer management and also assisted with the reintegration process of home owners returning to the area directly following the fire. When Matt saw this program open up, he knew he wanted to be here. This has been his first All Hands and Hearts program and he has been loving it so far.

"It has been incredible to see the progress that has been made since I was last here".

Photos: (top) the team finishing another day of creating a fuel break, (left) cleaning and maintenance of the chainsaws.

Learn about our programs at

allhandsandhearts.org

Disaster Profile In California, where wildfire season (historically May through October) is a natural part of the landscape, the season has started earlier and finished later in recent years. The wildfires have increased in size eightfold since the 1970s, and the annual burned area has grown by nearly 500%. The climate crisis is considered one of the key drivers of this trend, with high temperatures and droughts causing dry vegetation and dead trees, which are more susceptible to severe wildfires. One of the deadliest and most damaging wildfires in California’s history was the 2018 Camp Fire, which incinerated the town of Paradise and swaths of surrounding foothill communities in a single day. Driven by winds, this wildfire continued to rage for two weeks and spread further into Butte County.

More than two years after the Camp Fire, only about 400 of the 14,000 homes destroyed have been rebuilt, and the community remains at risk from future wildfire destruction.

Our Work All Hands and Hearts launched a pilot wildfire program in Paradise in February 2021. Alongside local partners, our focus is on wildfire mitigation projects, such as creating fuel breaks by felling and removing trees for protection against future wildfires, and recovery activities, such as hazardous tree removal on private properties to help homeowners prepare for rebuilding. A core component of this program is our sawyer training curriculum, which is helping to build capacity in our organization by improving skill, safety and efficiency in chainsaw operations. We plan to expand our work in California to include interior home repair.

About All Hands and Hearts We effectively and efficiently address the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural disasters. We communicate directly with local leaders and community members and then deploy our unique model of engaging volunteers to enable direct impact, helping to build safer, more resilient schools, homes and infrastructure.

We have earned a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator for the seventh year in a row. This year only seven percent of rated non-profits received this distinction for financial and operational efficiency.

Photos: (top) a volunteer preparing to fell a large hazardous tree, (bottom) volunteers taking a break whilst out in the field creating a fuel break.

Our Partners

info@allhandsandhearts.org