The increasing frequency and severity of wildfires — and an understanding of what it means to live in wildfire country — has prompted hundreds of property owners around the valley to team up in work parties to clear brush, limb trees and load chippers. Read the article………………….
You’ve got to be ‘kidding’: Herd of goats reduced damage from fire (CO)
A small wildland fire in unincorporated Elbert County was started by fireworks. A herd of goats kept it from being much worse, firefighters said. Read the article………………………
The Basics of Condo & Community Grill Rules (GA)
While the regulation is not brand new (it has been in effect since 1999), it is becoming more known because structural fires caused by “grills” are at an all-time high. As a result, virtually every state’s fire code now regulates cooking over an open flame. The Rules and Regulations for the State Minimum Fire Safety […]
Should Fireworks In An HOA Be Allowed or Banned?
Fireworks are a Fourth of July staple. But, should the board allow fireworks in an HOA? Learn the ins and outs of enforcing rules on fireworks in a planned community. Read the entire article……………………………….
Australia: NSW buildings still lined with combustible cladding five years after deadly Grenfell Tower fire
Five years on from the deadly Grenfell Tower fire in London, buildings in NSW are still lined with similar combustible cladding. On June 14, 2017, 72 people were killed when aluminium cladding fuelled a fire that engulfed the building in North Kensington. The tragedy sparked worldwide bans on the combustible material and 18 months ago […]
Grilling in an HOA Community (Go-To Guide)
It’s officially grilling season, which means it’s time to fire up the barbecue and enjoy some delicious food. However, if you live in an HOA community, there are some guidelines that you need to follow to stay within the rules. Here are four helpful tips that’ll ensure your cookout goes smoothly. Read the entire article……………………………….
Summit Park and Pinebrook wildfire prevention projects get top rating from state (UT)
After evacuations for the Parleys Canyon Fire, a wave of Summit Park homeowners signed up to have their property assessed for wildfire risk. Millions of dollars in grants are now funding work there and across Summit County. Read the entire article……………………………….
Devastation in our Backyard: A look at insurance and what we can learn from the Marshall Fire (CO)
Growing up in Louisville, Colorado, I like many others, could have never imagined the scene that unfolded on December 30, 2021. Early in the day a staff member mentioned a small brushfire had started in Boulder. Miles away we went on with our day only to see what looked like dust in the air around […]
Can You Repeat That? Is Your Condominium in Compliance? (FL)
It is essential for condominium associations to ensure that their buildings are in compliance with the requirements of the Florida Fire Prevention Code (the “Fire Code”). Read the entire article……………………………….
Goats inadvertently save condo complex from catching fire (CA)
While evacuations were not needed, unlikely heroes helped protect the condo complex: West Sacramento’s goats who recently had come by to eat underbrush off the near the complex. Read the entire article……………………………….
Harden your home: How property owners can protect their house from fire danger, assist firefighters (CO)
Wildfire experts call the process “hardening a home,” or creating defensive space, which is what homeowners need to do if they want wildland firefighters to try to defend their home during an emergency. When trying to protect multiple homes, firefighters with limited resources must make tough decisions to rate a property as defensible or non-defensible, […]
Even before Coastal fire, hilltop dwellers worried and some took key steps (CA)
A decade ago – long before February’s Emerald Bay fire, or this week’s Coastal fire – Newport Coast resident Gerald Klein tried to impress upon his homeowners’ association the importance of fire prevention. The brushy canyons of Crystal Cove State Park push in from two sides, and his home – along with hundreds of others […]
Years after fatal fire, Red Cross to install smoke alarms in Marco Polo condo (HI)
The American Red Cross installed smoke alarms at the Marco Polo Condominiums on Thursday as part of their national Sound the Alarm campaign. In 2017, Marco Polo suffered a tragic fire resulting in four fatalities and over a dozen injuries. Read the entire article……………………………….
Emergency plans emphasized after Ocean City condo fire (MD)
Residents of high-rises were reminded this week to pay close attention to their buildings’ emergency plans after a transformer fire at a north Ocean City condominium forced a wide-sweeping evacuation. Read the entire article……………………………….
Game Trail earns designation as Firewise USA community (CO)
The Game Trail Homeowners Association northwest of Buena Vista received national recognition from Firewise USA this year. HOA members are pictured with new signs and Chaffee Chips service partners during a fire mitigation event April 11. Read the entire article……………………………….
Fire Technology: Champlain Towers South Collapse: Drones’ Value Soars
Charles Werner spoke to numerous people who responded to the condominium collapse to learn that unmanned aerial systems were crucial to the effort in many ways. Read the entire article……………………………….
Residents effected by Oyster Bay Wildfire seek accountability for damages (FL)
Homeowners are reacting to the state’s response to their concerns following the Oyster Bay Wildfire. The prescribed burn on Garcon Point last Friday grew out of control, threatening homes and burning almost 200 acres. Read the entire article……………………………….
Fire department: Hydrants maintained by condo association didn’t have enough water to fight Forestville blaze (MD)
The nearest hydrant with enough water was a quarter mile away from a burning building at the Holly Hills condominiums in Forestville on Tuesday. Read the entire article……………………………….
Fire Hydrants in community associations, what you don’t know can cost you
Fire Hydrants are in every community association. Do you own yours? Or does someone else, the city, county? Find out for sure. If you own yours, you have to pay to have them tested/inspected/tagged annually. The liability to know and document that fact is real, and up to the board of directors and/or management. Watch […]
High-rise condo fire puts Cincinnati’s push to require self-closing apartment doors in spotlight (OH)
Sanders is in charge of Cincinnati’s fire prevention efforts. A key area of focus when it comes to safety is apartment doors that close automatically. Read the entire article……………………………….
San Marcos Trout Club is County’s First Firewise USA Community (CA)
The San Marcos Trout Club (SMTC), a neighborhood of 37 homes in the Santa Barbara foothills, is the first community in Santa Barbara County to be approved as a Firewise USA participant by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Read the entire article……………………………….
Firefighters clearing brush in Estates fuel break to prevent and slow wildfires (CA)
When firefighters aren’t out battling blazes, they’re spending time locally on preventing and slowing the spread of wildland fires by managing fuel breaks. Read the entire article……………………………….
California Wildfires’ Impact HOA Insurance
Severe weather and natural disasters have been a challenge for communities in different parts of California for decades, from droughts to earthquakes to wildfires. The state’s most recent wildfire season is putting pressure on insurance companies to cut back on coverage to homeowners. Read the entire article……………………………….
Lake California residence worried about fire evacuations (CA)
People living in Lake California a community just north of Red Bluff and in Tehama County, only have one route in and out. “It’s tree-lined, there are heavy ditches and a fire apparatus would not be able to come up that road and have residents exit safely,” said Sharon Crawford, Lake California Property Owner’s Association […]
The Woolsey fire burned their homes. Now this community has its own firefighting crew (CA)
The local Homeowners Association has contributed roughly $25,000 to the new fire department, and neighbors have thrown in hundreds of thousands more. Areas with fewer resources will likely face bigger obstacles that sets them apart from their wealthy neighbors, adding to the divide already being felt when disasters strike. Read the entire article……………………………….
Game Trail earns Firewise USA designation (CO)
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 […]
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……………………………….