The Game Trail subdivision northwest of Buena Vista received official designation as a Firewise USA site. The homeowners’ association gained recognition in December, Article………………………………..
Rebuilding after disaster takes a community — and a streamlined process — say Coloradans who lost homes in Waldo Canyon fire (CO)
Fires destroyed 347 houses in 2012, but the Mountain Shadows community in Colorado Springs found ways to work with city officials, contractors and others to rebuild fast, and now offer help to Marshall fire victims. Read the entire article……………………………….
Can An HOA Ban Fireworks?
Fireworks are a common way to celebrate several holidays in the United States. But, apart from providing a spectacular visual display, fireworks can also be dangerous. This leads us to the question — can an HOA ban fireworks? Read the entire article……………………………….
Oversight left Libby subdivision without fire suppression pond (MT)
Property owners at a Libby-area subdivision have gone without a piece of fire suppression infrastructure that should have been included in the development but wasn’t owing to an error in Lincoln County’s permitting process. Read the entire article……………………………….
Oversight left Panoramic View subdivision without required fire suppression infrastructure (MT)
Property owners at a Libby-area subdivision have gone without a piece of fire suppression infrastructure that should have been included in the development but wasn’t owing to an error in Lincoln County’s permitting process. Read the entire article……………………………….
Auburn City Fire Department and HOA team up for fuel reduction work (CA)
What began as a complaint of a dying tree has resulted in 40 acres of fire risk reduction work and a partnership between a local homeowners association and the Auburn Fire Department. Read the entire article……………………………….
Keystone’s Decatur homeowners association bans electric vehicles in garage (CO)
Homeowners at the Decatur property in Keystone’s Lakeside Village were alerted last week that electric vehicles are now prohibited from parking or charging in the garage due to an increased “risk of fire.” Read the entire article……………………………….
Latest city council discussions on Honolulu condo fire safety and ‘dawn to dusk’ lifeguard program (HI)
A Honolulu City Council committee Wednesday deferred action on a bill that would extend the deadline for condominiums to install fire suppression sprinklers — and allow some buildings more time to conduct surveys of their fire safety readiness. Read the entire article……………………………….
Condominium owners face steep costs to comply with fire safety measures (HI)
A bill under consideration by the Honolulu City Council would extend the deadline for condominiums to install fire sprinklers to 2033—three years beyond the current deadline established in response to the deadly 2017 Marco Polo fire. Read the entire article……………………………….
AB-38, Fire Prevention, and New Escrow Disclosure Requirements (CA)
Sometimes you do not even know there is an issue until someone raises a question. Special thanks to Ryan Gesell from Cline Agency and to the managers that asked Ryan if Civil Code §§ 1102.6f and 1102.19, as added by AB-38 (2019), apply to homeowners’ associations; teaser alert: they do! Read the entire article……………………………….
Fire Safety Obligations for Condo Managers and Boards
Massive fires and building envelope failures are sadly becoming more frequent in highrise properties around the world. Once formal investigations are completed and final reports are released, the time comes to assess the recommendations that will help to avoid similar tragic outcomes in the future. Read the entire article……………………………….
‘We do it together’: how a Lake Tahoe community prepared to flee the Caldor fire (CA)
There is only one way out of the Golden Bear neighborhood in South Lake Tahoe, and as the flames of the Caldor fire crept closer on Monday that could easily have turned into a catastrophe. But as the fire bore down on the neighborhood, a cluster of a couple of hundred homes tucked into the […]
Community Agriculture Alliance: Wildfire connected with forest health, water issues (CO)
The council has been coordinating with fire districts and local agencies to get individual homeowners and homeowners associations’ advice and funding options they need to reduce their fire risk and be better prepared in the face of a wildfire. Read the entire article……………………………….
Bouncing Back from the Bighorn Fire: As Mount Lemmon recovers, residents discuss strategies to reduce future risks (AZ)
The summer of 2020 was hot, even for Tucson. But even hotter were the flames hungrily advancing through the landscape of the Santa Catalina Mountains overlooking the city. The Bighorn Fire, named for the mountain on which it was ignited by a lightning strike, burned for several weeks. By the time it was fully contained, […]
A GROWING CONCERN: Cultivate fire safety in your neighborhood
As you have heard, drought and wildfires are at record levels again this year in the West and for those of us living here. Many enjoy the rural lifestyle. Fire officials say some of those homes, those on forests’ edges, are more susceptible to wildfire dangers. Here’s what you can do to protect your property […]
Goats: unlikely allies in California’s fight against wildfires
Their mission, should they choose to accept it, is simple: graze. Goats are an unlikely but increasingly popular weapon in California’s fight against the wildfires that rage through the western US state every year. Read the entire article……………………………….
Neighborhood groups engage in fire mitigation projects (CO)
As wildfires continue to plague the county and state, area homeowners association groups are taking on fire fuels mitigation projects to protect their neighborhoods. Work continues this week, for example, in the Sanctuary neighborhood, situated adjacent to a key area of potential fire danger on the east side of Steamboat Springs. The Sanctuary is located […]
Oahu condo owners struggle to comply with fire safety ordinance (HI)
The vast majority of Oahu condominiums are failing a safety evaluation required when no automatic sprinkler system is in place, prompting condo owners and associations to urge the Honolulu City Council to amend a mandate they say could cause bankruptcy.
‘Way better than humans’: Santa Cruz Gardens neighborhood turns to goats for fire safety (CA)
Residents of the Benson Avenue and Benson Court developments in the Santa Cruz Gardens area have long dealt with a conundrum: Their properties neighbor a five-acre preserve, which is a boon most of the time. But when fire season approaches every year, they’ve struggled to find a way to clear vegetation and manage the fire […]
RSF Association to provide aerial FireWatch maps to all homeowners (CA)
The Rancho Santa Fe Association continues to take preventative measures to reduce its wildfire risk and keep the community safe, from clearing out flammable invasive species and dead and dying trees to encouraging residents to create defensible space, the protective buffer zone between homes and vegetative fuel. Read the entire article……………………………….
Chew on this: Goats mow down fire danger in La Plata County neighborhood (CO)
A tribe of goats is making lunch out of Gambel oak stands in a subdivision northeast of Durango – and helping the community reduce its wildfire risk along the way. Edgemont Highlands, a 430-home subdivision, has put a concerted effort into wildfire mitigation projects since 2012. Normally, those projects include sawyer crews and contractors trimming […]
Sheep arrive to eat up grasses on Eucalyptus Hill, reducing the threat in a high fire area (CA)
A difficult canyon to access is one of the main target zone for fire prevention in the Eucalyptus Hill area where sheep have been brought in by the homeowner’s association. The Eucalyptus Hill Improvement Association says it has been working with Santa Barbara City Fire, Santa Barbara County Fire, and Montecito Fire to “have these […]
HOA Grilling Safety: Memorial Day Weekend 2021
Memorial Day weekend 2021 is almost here – are you and your grill ready? Grilling burgers, hot dogs, BBQ ribs, and shish kabobs over a flame or coals is a Memorial Day staple. However, if you’re living in an HOA, you may find that your community association has strict guidelines on grilling and safety. Before […]
Goat-Led Wildfire Mitigation on Pioneer Trail (CO)
The San Juan National Forest’s Columbine Ranger District and Edgemont Highlands Community Association are coordinating for a temporary detour of the Pioneer Trail. Edgemont Highlands Community Association is beginning a goat-led wildfire mitigation project near the trail. The trail will be detoured when the goat herd begins work Wednesday, May 26 through June 6. Read […]
Trapper’s Crossing Homeowners Association grateful for fire mitigation work (CO)
Trappers Crossing subdivision recently completed a fire mitigation day for Wildfire Awareness month in May. Our goal was to clear roads of brush and trees to improve visibility, access for emergency responders and to minimize the chance of a roadside fire. Read the entire article……………………………….
Quincy Firewise Community group urges residents’ preparedness participation (CA)
With 90 non-renewal notices for homeowners’ insurance policies coming across his desk in a single day, it’s beyond time to organize Quincy residents into becoming a Firewise community, according to Mike Flanigan, co-chair of Quincy Firewise. Read the entire article……………………………….
Preventative Dryer Vent Care
While cleaning the dryer vent is not on the top of every owner’s to-do list, it is a crucial activity that, when neglected, can cause increased energy bills, expensive dryer repairs, and dangerous fire hazards. Thankfully, taking measures to keep these problems from arising is simple, only necessitating preventative dryer vent care. Read the entire […]
“All Things are Ready if our Emergency Plan Be So” Dealing with Emergency Preparedness in California HOAs
California is used to wildfires. But the Golden State’s record-breaking 2020 wildfire season was particularly brutal. A blistering heat wave fueled dozens of simultaneous fires – conditions that spurred Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide state of emergency. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from their residences. But, was not – and is […]
Four Bend Neighborhoods Join Firewise (OR)
Four neighborhoods in the Bend area and one in Canyon City in Grant County joined the national Firewise program last year and were among 182 communities across the state that conducted a variety of projects from cutting brush to thinning overcrowded stands of trees, to clearing brush away from evacuation routes and promoting education and […]
Fire Pits: How HOA & Condo Boards Can Safely Permit this Popular Trend
How do homeowners associations foster community when having neighbors over for dinner or using the clubhouse cannot be done safely because of COVID-19? As residents look for safe ways to socialize, some are asking board members to allow propane-operated fire pits for outdoor enjoyment during the fall, spring, and summer seasons. Read the article………………………………….
Indian Creek Property Owners Association schedules mitigation work March 20 (CO)
Indian Creek Property Owners Association will be conducting ITS 4th Fire Mitigation Workday of 2021 on Saturday, March 20. Their continuing momentum has more Indian Creek residents joining their “posse,” having fun, learning the benefits of fire mitigation, and little by little, making Indian Creek and Teller County safer. Read the article………………………………..
Saskatoon firefighters find faulty systems at condo building, spend hours overseeing repairs (SK)
The Saskatoon Fire Department spent around five-and-a-half hours at a condo building Friday night to oversee the repair of fire and life-safety systems they discovered weren’t working properly. During a recent call to a highrise at 1416 20th St. W., Saskatoon firefighters became aware of issues with the fire alarm system, sprinkler system and fire […]
Firestop Materials Attack Sprinkler Pipes! (CA)
We sometimes find irony in our construction defect cases. Here’s one: building products intended to increase safety turn out to be incompatible, leading to safety failures! One such issue involves chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) fire sprinkler piping and incompatible firestopping sealants installed around the piping. Incompatible sealants in contact with the CPVC can cause systemic […]
When The Wilderness Meets The Urban, Homeowners And Neighbors Are On Their Own Against Wildfires (CO)
Climate change likely means more and bigger fires. And as more people live in risky areas, wildfire mitigation becomes more critical. For the most part, it’s up to residents to do the work to protect their homes. Individuals can do a lot, but if a neighbor hasn’t cleared dead material, kept the lawn green, and […]
HOA 1st certified as Firewise (AZ)
Catherine Knox is excited that she and her neighbors are the only one of their kind in Sedona. But, she’s hoping that distinction won’t last long. Knox and the 33 other homeowners that make up the Cottages at Coffeepot HOA are being recognized as the only homeowners association or community within the Sedona Fire District […]
Plumbing Torch Fire Safety
Quite often the headline reads “Plumbers Torch Blamed for Fire, Home Destroyed” while some of the headlines may not be accurate, enough of them are. In my opinion far too many fires are caused by careless use of a plumbing torch. Each Year in the US approximately 5,580 fires amounting to $208,000,000 damages are listed […]
Outdoor grilling activists in Florida take protesting to a searing new level (FL)
If the culmination of last week’s election has created a void in your life, an empty spot where righteous protest used to exist, let me suggest an area of grievance you may not have considered. Outdoor barbecue grills. In Florida, residents of a Clearwater adults-only condo community are leading the way on this, taking to […]
The Real Cost of Fire Alarm Maintenance
As we transition to fall weather and bring out the blankets and fire logs, the last thing that anyone wants to be worried about is the potential fire hazard and risks of neglected fire alarm systems. Often overlooked or bemoaned by those in the industry, your local fire marshal plays an important role in ensuring […]
Condo living has its own challenges when it comes to fire safety. Here is a prevention checklist. (VA)
October is Fire Safety Month, with Fire Prevention Week beginning Sunday, Oct. 4, and ending on Saturday, Oct.10. Since 1922, the National Fire Protection Association has run an annual campaign to help educate the public on fire safety in effort to reduce the number of deaths caused by fire. Read the article…………………………..
Fire Code Inspections (ON)
As the Province of Ontario continues with its Re-Opening Plan, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to create challenges for some condominium corporations as relates to Fire Code1 compliance. Read the article………………………………
Fire extinguishers recommended for condo dwellers (BC)
Local governments can’t mandate changes to sprinklers for condo buildings, in the wake of a second condo-destroying fire, according to the Township’s fire chief. Earlier this summer, Township Councillor Bob Long asked whether the Township could order that condos be retrofitted with sprinklers, or equipped with fire extinguishers on upper balconies. Read the article…………………………………
Roadmaps for Wildfire Mitigation Provide Guidance for Suburban Neighborhoods
New wildfire guidelines from an insurance industry home safety organization offer guidance for adapting suburban communities to the growing threat of wildfire. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) said its Suburban Wildfire Adaptation Roadmaps offer a detailed examination of wildfire vulnerabilities and specific solutions that can limit the catastrophic reach of wildfire […]
Webinar: Fire Safety Plans with National Life Safety Group (ON)
Last week, we were treated to a special presentation on fire safety in condo buildings by Jason Reid of National Life Safety Group. Jason covered topics such as: Read the article……………………………..
Fireworks Within Community Associations Spark Complaints and Liabilities (FL)
With the approaching July 4th holiday weekend community associations are on high alert and warning residents of the consequences and potential dangers of violating rules which prohibit setting off fireworks and the like. Read the article…………………………..
Baca Grande POA receives grant to prepare for wildfires (CO)
The Baca Grande Property Owners Association has received a $245,000 2019 State Fire Assistance grant to reduce the wildfire risk within the community, with an emphasis on creating healthier, more fire-resistant common lands. Baca Grande POA applied for the grant in partnership with the Colorado State Forest Service. The Colorado State Forest Service works with […]
Door County firefighters: Sister Bay condominium fire shows why to sleep with door shut (WI)
Investigation continues into a fire that ignited a condo on Sister Bay’s main stretch, Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Department Chief Chris Hecht said on Tuesday. After a Saturday night blaze at a Sister Bay condominium, Door County firefighters are using the incident to highlight the importance of the phrase “close before you doze” — in […]
Bend neighborhood clears overgrown trees, bushes to prepare for wildfire season (OR)
A small group of residents in Bend’s Tillicum Village walked through their neighborhood Friday to assess the progress they made to protect the area from wildfire. Bert Neumaier, a Tillicum Village resident who organizes the volunteer effort through the national program, Firewise USA, was pleased with what he saw. Read the article……………………………
Fighting Fire with Fire Wise Leadership and Action (CA)
More than 200+ members and residents attended the standing-room-only Town Hall Meeting on Feb. 27 in the Cedar Room at The Oaks Clubhouse. Organized by the Public Safety Committee and the Fire Wise Working Group, the program featured presentations by State and County fire officials and experts as well as LWA Board Director Randy Smith […]
Baca Grande POA recognized (CO)
The Baca Grande Property Owners Association has received an official designation as a Firewise USA® site after completing the criteria required by the national Firewise USA® Recognition Program. The Baca Grande community initially was a pilot Firewise USA® site in 2002. It gained recognition on Jan. 30 under the leadership of the newly formed Baca […]
Flame-shifting – Extinguishing Fire Code Violations (ON)
The City of Toronto recently hired over 300 new fire inspectors, pledging to inspect every high-rise building in the city at least once a year. The Fire Code adopts a broad definition of “owner”, and, as a result, the city may lay Fire Code charges against unit owners, condo corporations, property managers, management firms and […]