California Ag Network

Category: News

  • Helping Water Utilities Reduce California’s Energy Use and Emissions

    From left, Frank Loge, director of UC Davis’ Center for Water and Energy Efficiency, and CWEE project engineer Gabe Paras. (Andrea Martinez/UC Davis)

    Davis, Calif., (October 25, 2017) – Over the next three and a half years, researchers at the University of California, Davis, will work with the Moulton Niguel Water District and Helio Energy Solutionsto better understand how water utilities can reduce California’s energy use as the state works to meet its ambitious greenhouse-gas reduction goals.

    The California Energy Commission awarded the Center for Water and Energy Efficiency at UC Davis $3.1 million to pilot-test a system to help water utilities optimize their energy use and reduce operational costs while continuing to meet customers’ water needs.

    If successful, the pilot program could help balance the electrical grid’s intermittent distribution of renewable energy, while providing substantial savings to ratepayers.

    Reducing strain on grid

    Moulton Niguel Water District spends approximately $2 million per year to power its water services for 170,000 customers in southern Orange County. CWEE researchers will combine water system hydraulic modeling with Helio Energy Solution’s PredictEnergy software platform to create a demand management system designed to reduce Moulton Niguel’s energy consumption.

    “If adopted widely by urban water systems in California, the strain on the grid during peak hours could be reduced significantly, leading to more reliable electricity at lower costs to consumers,” said Frank Loge, faculty director of CWEE, professor of civil and environmental engineering and principal investigator on the grant.

    Simple plan: Pump when rates are lower

    The project will use real-time energy analytics to develop an energy-management system that adapts to changing energy demands and different energy-rate structures for Moulton Niguel’s potable and recycled water systems. While the system is complex, the plan is simple: When energy rates are lower, Moulton Niguel will pump more water, and as rates rise, the district plans to cut back its power consumption.

    “We want to develop a strategy that meets the needs of the grid and pays off for water utilities at the same time,” said Mike Murray, president of Helio Energy Solutions. “By partnering with UC Davis and the Moulton Niguel Water District, we will be able to provide our state with a solution that reliably and safely delivers results while incentivizing water districts to participate. We look forward to working together on this exciting new project.”

    Lowering emissions

    In September, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation requiring the state to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Water utilities, which require large amounts of power at every step of the water cycle, could be instrumental in reaching those emissions reduction goals. Roughly 20 percent of California’s electricity and more than 30 percent of its natural gas go to the water system, from pumping it for delivery to disposing of wastewater.

    “At Moulton Niguel, we’re constantly identifying new ways to save our ratepayers money and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Joone Lopez, general manager at Moulton Niguel Water District. “The energy experts at CWEE are brilliant at finding new ways to be more efficient. With their help, we hope to be the model for the entire state.”

  • Side-By-Side Demonstrations Of Low-Dust Harvesting Equipment Draw Much Interest

    Modesto, Calif., (October 24, 2017) – Two side-by-side demonstrations of low-dust harvesting equipment from four almond equipment manufacturers were hailed as successful as scores of almond growers took time during harvest to attend.

    Manufacturers Exact Harvesting Systems of Modesto, Flory Industries of Salida, Weiss McNair of Chico and Jackrabbit of Ripon participated in the events, the first of their kind. Van Duyn Family Farms, Escalon, and Holtermann Farms, Wasco, hosted the demonstrations.

    “These demonstrations were a great opportunity to view the performance of harvesting equipment in the orchard and allowed growers to get a first-hand view of each machine’s effectiveness,” explained Dr. Gabriele Ludwig, director for sustainability and environmental affairs at Almond Board of California.

    The almond industry’s growth, along with increased attention from air quality regulatory agencies, sparked a heightened effort by Almond Board of California (ABC) to address harvest dust concerns.

    “As the industry has grown and there is so much more acreage, the dust that is there is becoming much more noticeable to the residents of the Central Valley,” said Ludwig. “These demonstrations are another example of the commitment Almond Board has made to working with the industry to reduce dust at harvest.”

    The dust generated by harvest activities includes significant PM10 emissions and some PM2.5 emissions, both regulated and connected to air quality issues, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley. While the Valley is in compliance with PM10, it is not in compliance with PM2.5.

    “Because all the low hanging fruit with 2.5 has already been taken care of or regulated, the air board is going after the things that are harder, and in that process, ag dust has come up, including that from almond harvesting,” Ludwig explained.

    A decade of dust research funded by ABC and its partnerships with equipment manufacturers and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has resulted in methods, resources and incentives to help reduce dust generated at harvest and to keep dust created in the orchard away from neighbors.

    Ludwig pointed out, “As a result of our greater understanding about how dust is generated at almond harvest, many equipment manufacturers have made changes to sweepers and pickup machines to reduce dust emissions.”

    Almond Board offers some practical tips to lower dust at harvest, including reducing the harvester’s ground speed. Cutting ground speeds by half will reduce dust by 50%. ABC recommends growers and harvesters gauge the speed reduction to match orchard conditions. In orchards with loose soils, slower ground speed allows gravity to drop dirt, reducing the reliance on fans. Growers and harvesters are also advised to reduce the separator fan speed to the lowest setting possible.

    NRCS representatives attended the events to discuss funding incentives available through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) for almond growers wishing to use clean harvest technology. NRCS more than tripled reimbursements – up to $37.50 per acre – for a maximum of three years for almond growers who use harvest equipment shown to reduce particulate matter. The incentive payments apply to growers who use equipment they purchased or who hire custom harvesters with approved lower-emission equipment. Growers interested in incentive funds should visit their county NRCS office. The San Joaquin Valley Air District is working on an incentive program, as well – stay tuned.

    Almond Board offers practical guides and videos for growers and workers to encourage the adoption of good management practices for reducing dust at harvest. Visit www.almonds.com/harvestdust.

     

  • CDFA and DWR Award $4.6 Million To Improve Water Efficiency

    Sacramento, Calif., (October 24, 2017) – The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the Department of Water Resources (DWR) have announced the recipients of a joint water efficiency grant. The North San Joaquin Water Conservation District and 19 farm operations within the district will receive $4.6 million to improve water delivery and on-farm water efficiency.

    The improvements will bring surface water supplies to farms that currently depend exclusively on groundwater for irrigation, helping to ease demands on critically overdrafted basins in the region. Growers can also use grant funds to adopt water conservation technologies such as drip irrigation, moisture sensors and weather stations to reduce water use.

    “It is essential that we think about water distribution at irrigation districts as well as on the farm,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “This grant is a smart investment in improving our water-use efficiency and managing our groundwater basins for future droughts.  Our thanks to the Department of Water Resources for joining us in this critically important program.”

    The grant combines dollars from Proposition 1, a $7.5 billion bond measure approved by California voters in 2014, and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), a CDFA program that provides financial assistance for California farms to save water and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

    “This investment will return dividends in a more sustainable groundwater future for California,” said Department of Water Resources Director Grant Davis. “These grants provide opportunities for communities to become more water efficient and at the same time, assist in efforts to improve the sustainability of California’s groundwater resources.”

    The joint award given by DWR and CDFA is a pilot project to maximize environmental and production benefits. In order to receive funding, successful applicants designed projects that met specific requirements – including cost, feasibility, water savings and GHG reductions.

    The cooperative project is expected to result in water savings of over 553 million gallons and GHG reductions of 97 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. Other expected benefits include greater energy efficiency and improved nutrient management.

    A list of the selected agricultural operations can be found at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/sweep/JointPilotProgram.html

  • USDA California Crop/Weather Report

    Sacramento, Calif., (October 24, 2017) – Parts of the State saw rainfall for the first time in a couple of weeks, with reports of almost two inches of rain near the California/Oregon border. The south coast had reports of little to no rain.

    Temperature highs were in the 60s to 70s in the mountains, 70s to 100s along the coast, 80s to 90s in the valley, and 80s to 100s in the desert. Temperature lows were in the 20s to 30s in the mountains, 30s to the 50s in the desert, 30s to 60s along the coast, and 40s to 50s in the valley.

    Alfalfa fields continued to be cut and baled. Sorghum fields were being harvested. Cotton was being harvested for lint and seed, and farmers were expecting a decent yield. Most summer crops have been harvested, and fields were being worked and fertilized for winter planting.

    Stone fruit season was essentially finished. A few old orchards were pushed out. Soil amendments were applied to some stone fruit orchards. Pear, kiwifruit and pomegranate harvest continued. Table grape harvest was winding down. Thompson seedless grapes were rolled and picked up for raisins. Persimmon harvest began, with the cooler weather helping with external color. Early navel oranges were being picked and tested for maturity. Citrus orchards were being skirted and trimmed for the coming season. Some orange groves were being pushed out to make way for new plantings.Lemons were being picked. The heavy olive crop continued to be harvested.

    The almond harvest is all but finished for the season. A few groves still had nuts on the ground. Walnut and pistachio harvests continued.

    Broccoli and Brussel sprout harvests continued. Certified producers were picking tomatoes, sweet corn, okra, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. Commercial plantings of Yellow squash, eggplant, Bell peppers, chili peppers, and cucumbers were being harvested and shipped domestically. Fall vegetables were developing well and some early varieties are almost ready for harvest. Pumpkin patches looked very mature and are ready for picking.

    Non-irrigated and foothill rangeland forage was reported to be in poor to very poor condition. Supplemental feeding of cattle was ongoing. Cattle continued to be moved down from high elevation range. Sheep grazed harvested grain fields in Tulare County.

  • Survey shows chronic employee shortages on California farms

    Sacramento, Calif., (October 24, 2017) – Across California, farmers and ranchers face chronic problems in finding and hiring qualified and willing people to work in agriculture, according to a survey conducted by the California Farm Bureau Federation.

    The informal survey of Farm Bureau members showed that more than half of responding farmers had experienced employee shortages during the past year. The figure was higher among farmers who need to hire employees on a seasonal basis—69 percent of those farmers reported experiencing shortages. The results are similar to a survey CFBF conducted in 2012.

    “Despite all the efforts California farmers and ranchers have made to find and hire people to work on their operations, they still can’t find enough willing and qualified employees,” CFBF President Paul Wenger said. “Farmers have offered higher wages, benefits and more year-round jobs. They have tried to mechanize operations where possible, and have even changed crops or left ground idle. But employee shortages persist.”

    When asked what actions they have taken in response to employee shortages, farmers participating in the survey most frequently cited increased wages, benefits and additional incentives. Farmers also reported they had used, attempted or investigated mechanization; reduced cultivation activities such as pruning trees and vines; and either planted fewer acres or left some crops unharvested.

    Wenger said he expects farmers to continue offering higher wages and moving toward mechanization, but that the survey results underline the need for action by Congress to improve the existing agricultural immigration program.

    “Only 3 percent of the farmers in our survey said they had used the existing H-2A agricultural immigration program,” Wenger said. “Even though more farmers have tried it, H-2A remains too cumbersome for most. Farmers in California and elsewhere in the country need an improved system to allow people to enter the U.S. legally to work on farms and ranches.”

    Farmers have been forthright about their reliance on a largely immigrant workforce, he said, noting that efforts to hire U.S.-born employees on farms have remained unsuccessful. Wenger said Farm Bureau and other organizations would continue to work with Congress to create “a secure, flexible, market-based agricultural immigration program.”

  • Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation Establishes Housing Support for Ag Workers Displaced by Fires

    Santa Rosa, Calif., (October 23, 2017) – With firefighters gaining control of fires throughout Sonoma County, the Grape Growers Foundation (SCGGF) announced today it is partnering with the Sonoma County Farm Bureau to establish a housing recovery fund for ag workers and their families who were displaced from their homes by last week’s devastating fires.

    The fund will serve to assist ag workers who lost their homes in the fires by helping to fund the re-establishment of new households.

    “Obviously, the fires have impacted everyone who lives in Sonoma County in a variety of ways and for our ag workers, the impact was particularly severe. Knowing that a home provides a family with stability and comfort, we are committed to getting all of our displaced ag employees into temporary housing as quickly as possible,” said Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers, who is also serving as the executive director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation.

    The fund has benefited from initial investments from local grape growers and supporters including $25,000 from the John Jordan Foundation and Jordan Vineyard & Winery and $25,000 from American Ag Credit.

    “Fortunately, the Grape Growers Foundation was established years ago to improve the lives of Sonoma County’s agricultural employees and their families while ensuring Sonoma County remains a place where agricultural workers will continue to live and work,” said Kruse. She added, “While the Foundation is taking a long-term focus on ag employee housing, we need a short term solution now due to the extent of this calamity.”

    For anyone interested in contributing to the housing fund, visit: www.scggf.org to make a contribution. SCGGF is a 501(c)(3) organization.

  • Tulare County Reports on Current Crop Status

    Visalia, Calif., (October 23, 2017) – Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner released the current status today of Major crops in the most valued county in the California Ag portfolio. They report that Alfalfa fields continue to be irrigated, cut, and baled. Sorghum fields are being harvested. Cotton is being harvested for lint and seed, and farmers are expecting a decent yield. Most summer crops have been harvested, and fields are being worked and having fertilizer spread for winter planting.

    Stone fruit season is al but finished, with a few being exported to Canada, Chile, Mexico, and New Zealand. A few old stone fruit orchards are being pushed out. Soil amendments are being applied to some stone fruit orchards. Pistachio harvest is nearing completion, with exports to China, the European Union, Hong Kong, Mexico, and Turkey. Almonds are being exported to Argentina, Chile, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates. Walnuts continue to be harvested. Pears are being exported to Mexico. Table grape harvest continues, and are being exported to Australia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, and Vietnam. Thompson seedless grapes are being rolled and picked up for raisins. Pomegranate harvest continues, with shipments going to Australia, Brazil, and domestic markets. Kiwifruit are being harvested, and exported to Mexico and Panama. Persimmon harvest is underway, with the cooler weather helping with external color.

    Early navel oranges are being picked and tested for maturity. Valencia oranges are still being exported to China and Korea. Citrus orchards are being skirted and trimmed for the coming season. Some orange groves are being pushed out to make way for new plantings. Finger limes are being exported to Japan, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Lemons are being picked The olive crop is heavy and continues to be harvested.

    Certified producers are picking tomatoes, sweet corn, okra, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. Commercial plantings of Yellow squash, eggplant, Bell peppers, Green Chili peppers, and cucumbers are being harvested and shipped domestically. Fall vegetables are developing well and some early varieties are almost ready for harvest. Strawberries continue to grow. Pumpkins patches look very mature and are ready for picking.

    Rangeland quality and forage is seen as only adequate for this time of year. The fed cattle market price is up to $108.00 per hundred weight. The milk price for local dairymen is sitting around $15 per hundred weight. Harvested grain fields continue to be sheeped-off in southern portions of the county.

    Nursery shipments continue to be slow. Wholesale nurseries are shipping small amounts of stock to local and out-of-state retail outlets. Potted roses are being shipped to Texas. New ag wells continue to be drilled.

  • University of California ANR Wildfire Experts

    Sacramento, Calif., (October 23, 2017) – UC ANR wildfire experts are stationed around the state and can answer questions on a diversity of issues related to the prevention, impacts, aftermath, and generally, the science of wildfire in California.

    University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is a division of the University with scientists based on three UC campuses and in UC Cooperative Extension offices serving all California counties. UC ANR conducts research and shares research-based information with the public about wildfire, agricultural production, environmental stewardship, water policy, youth development and nutrition.

    Travis Bean
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension weed specialist at UC Riverside
    Management of invasive plants that introduce or alter fire regimes
    (951) 827-5130
    travis.bean@ucr.edu

    Van Butsic
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension specialist at UC Berkeley
    Land change science including fire and land use planning
    (510) 666-5400
    vanbutsic@berkeley.edu

    Mike De Lasaux
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension natural resources advisor for Plumas and Sierra counties
    Wildfire fuel reduction on small forest parcels, forestry and watershed management
    (530) 283-6125
    mjdelasaux@ucanr.edu

    Sabrina Drill
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension natural resources advisor for Los Angeles and Ventura counties
    Plant arrangement, building design and maintenance to reduce fire risk, invasive weeds and pests contributing to fire risk
    (626) 586-1975
    sldrill@ucanr.edu

    Maggi Kelly
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension natural resource monitoring specialist
    Geographic information science, mapping forests
    (510) 642-7272
    maggi@berkeley.edu

    Susan Kocher
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension natural resources advisor in the Central Sierra
    Fire adapted communities, fire hazard mitigation in forests, post fire restoration
    “Living with Fire in the Tahoe Basin” website, http://www.livingwithfire.info/tahoe/
    (530) 542-2571
    sdkocher@ucanr.edu

    Chris McDonald
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension natural resources advisor
    Desert species, invasive plants and fire
    (909) 387-2242
    cjmcdonald@ucanr.edu

    Richard Minnich
    Professor of earth sciences, UC ANR Agricultural Experiment Station, UC Riverside
    Fire ecology of Southern California, Baja California, and temperate Mexico; exotic plant invasions, climate change.
    (951) 827-5515
    minnich@ucr.edu

    Max Moritz
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension wildfire specialist in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley. He is located in Santa Barbara County.
    Wildland fire, fire modeling, fire effects, shrubland ecosystems and spatial patterns of fire disturbance, climate change adaptation
    mmoritz@berkeley.edu

    Malcolm North
    Associate professor of Forest Ecology, UC ANR ecologist
    Forest recovery
    (530) 754-7398
    mpnorth@ucdavis.edu

    Lenya Quinn-Davidson
    UC Cooperative Extension Area fire advisor – Northern California
    Fire ecology and management
    (707) 445-7351
    lquinndavidson@ucanr.edu

    Dave Rizzo
    Plant pathology professor, UC ANR pathologist
    Fire and infectious disease
    (530) 752-0300
    dmrizzo@ucdavis.edu

    Kimberly Rodrigues
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension natural resources advisor
    Public participation in resource management
    (530) 750-1283
    karodrigues@ucanr.edu

    Ricky Satomi
    UC Cooperative Extension area forestry and natural resources advisor in Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou counties
    Forest management and wood use
    (530) 224-4900
    rpsatomi@ucanr.edu

    Mark Schwartz
    Environmental science professor at UC Davis and UC ANR ecologist
    Forest plot mapping
    (530) 752-0671
    mwschwartz@ucdavis.edu

    Tom Scott
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension area natural resources wildlife specialist for Southern California
    Conservation of wildlife, wildlife management at the urban-wildland interface, and response of plants and animal species to fire
    (951) 827-5115
    thomas.scott@ucr.edu

    Scott Stephens
    Professor of fire science and co-director Center for Fire Research and Outreach at UC Berkeley, UC ANR fire scientist
    Fire ecology, fire behavior, wildfire, fuels treatments, forest mortality, fire policy
    (510) 642-7304
    sstephens@berkeley.edu

    Bill Stewart
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension forestry specialist in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at UC Berkeley and co-director Center for Fire Research and Outreach
    Economics of fire prevention and fire suppression programs
    (510) 643-3130
    billstewart@berkeley.edu

    Yana Valachovic
    UC ANR Cooperative Extension forest advisor in Humboldt and Del Norte counties and member of the Northern California Fire Science Consortium hub
    Home and landscape design considerations for wildfire, prescribed fire, forest health and prescribed fire, wildfire and fuels in redwood, Douglas-fir and tanoak forests, fire education
    (707) 445-7351
    yvala@ucanr.edu

    Kate Wilkin
    UC Cooperative Extension forestry/fire science and natural resources advisor
    Sutter, Yuba, Butte and Nevada counties
    Fire ecology and management, fuels treatments and fire policy
    (530) 822-7515
    kwilkin@ucanr.edu

    For more information, contact: Jeannette Warnert, (559) 240-9850, jewarnert@ucanr.edu and Pam Kan-Rice, (510) 206-3476, pam.kanrice@ucanr.edu

  • Houses Likely Burned from the Inside Out, Says UCCE Forest Advisor

    Davis, Calif., (October 20, 2017) – Photos and video of the Northern California communities that have been hit by wildfires this week show buildings reduced to ash. How could so many homes and businesses burn so quickly in Wine Country fires? Many houses that burned to the ground in the Northern California fires likely burned from the inside out, says Yana Valachovic, UC Cooperative Extension forest advisor for Humboldt and Del Norte counties.

    Red hot embers carried on the wind can enter the attic via the venting. “In the case of the wind-driven fires on October 8, these fires created ember storms that blasted little coals into everything in their pathway,” Valachovic said. These embers also create small spot fires near the home that fuel new sources of embers.

    Weather played a large role in these fires and generated a fire storm of embers that ignited grass, shrubs, trees and anything in its path. “While the landscape can be the fuse, the homes really can be the most burnable part of the landscape,” Valachovic said. “These embers likely lodged in the small spaces and openings of homes and buildings. A common location is for the embers to enter via attic venting or HVAC systems distributing little fires into the buildings.

    Embers carried on the wind can ignite dry plant material like pine needles and create more embers that may enter homes through vents.

    “Embers also landed on receptive leaves, outside furniture, and other flammable materials outside the buildings that created fires adjacent to the buildings. Once enough buildings were engulfed in fire, the radiant heat of each building fire led to exposures on the neighboring buildings, creating a house-to-house burn environment.”

    Residents can reduce the risk of embers setting their house on fire by removing dry plants around the structure.

    “These fires remind us that everyone in California could help the fire situation by managing the vegetation, leaves in the gutters and decks, newspaper piles, brooms and other flammable sources near to their houses now before they get the evacuation call,” Valachovic said. “If you are likely to have to evacuate soon, temporarily covering or sealing up the vents with metal tape or plywood can help harden your home to an ember storm.”

    Steve Quarles, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus, who spent his career studying fire behavior on building materials and around homes, created an online Homeowner’s Wildfire Mitigation Guide at http://ucanr.edu/sites/Wildfire. Quarles, who now does research for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, demonstrates how embers can ignite and quickly engulf a house in flames in a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvbNOPSYyss. After the 3-minute mark, video shows embers drifting up and flying through a screened vent into the house, where they could ignite combustible materials in the attic resulting in fire starting on the inside of the home.

    “If you have time to prepare your home, use the wildfire last-minute check list at http://disastersafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IBHS-Wildfire-Last-Minute-Checklist.pdf,” Valachovic said.

    Valachovic has co-authored publications in home survival in wildfire prone areas http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8393.pdf and how landscape plants near homes can create more vulnerability to wildfire http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8228.pdf.

    Once these fires are extinguished, a more detailed analysis will be possible.

    “Past wildfire events have shown that this is the common way homes in the wildland urban interface (WUI) burn, and this scenario was likely translated to the urban environment,” she said.

  • Preparing to Evacuate During Wildfire? These Checklists Can Help

    Davis, Calif., (October 20, 2017) – As more than 20 major wildfires burn in Northern California, residents in those regions need to be ready to evacuate on short notice. The wind-driven fires are moving quickly and can change direction unexpectedly.

    “It is pretty tense here as the fire north of us keeps circling back and forth,” said Glenn McGourty, UC Cooperative Extension director in Mendocino County, on Oct. 12. “So far most of the damage has been in Redwood Valley, where over 200 homes were lost and people had only minutes to get out.”

    To help people prepare, CAL FIRE has a checklist for evacuation online at http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Evacuation-Steps. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources scientists contributed to the research behind the recommendations.

    A one-page checklist online at http://disastersafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/IBHS-Wildfire-Last-Minute-Checklist.pdf, also based on research by UC ANR scientists, is available from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety.

    Napa County residents have been told to be prepared in case they need to leave.

    “We have team members tending to their own homes and or family’s needs, providing support in shelters, and being available for immediate clientele needs in any way they can,” said David Lewis, UC Cooperative Extension director in Napa and Marin counties. “We look forward to calling upon UC colleagues with more experience to support our communities in the long recovery period. For the immediate future, we will stay focused in our efforts to support evacuation and shelter efforts – personal safety and needs are priority one until the fires no longer pose a threat.”

    The main thing to remember when preparing to evacuate is to protect your life first.

    “Don’t die trying to prepare your house before you leave,” said Yana Valachovic, UC Cooperative Extension director and forest advisor in Humboldt and Del Norte counties. “Monitor the situation, watch the wind directions, and listen to all emergency personnel.”

    To receive timely updates on fire conditions, Brian Oatman, UC ANR Risk & Safety Services director, uses Nixle. “While some communication methods may not work due to outages, the more sources we have, the better the chance that the message gets through,” Oatman said. To sign up for text alerts, visit http://www.nixle.com or text your zipcode to 888-777 to opt-in.

    “We have coordinated with CropMobster to create a resource list at https://sfbay.cropmobster.com/bay-area-fire-resources where anyone can post any needs or offer help of any kind,” said Stephanie Larson, UC Cooperative Extension director in Sonoma County. “UCCE Sonoma has also created a Disaster Recovery for Agriculture Operations at http://cesonoma.ucanr.edu/Disaster_Resources for homeowners and managers of rangelands. UCCE is working closely with Sonoma County to provide UC ANR resources to assist with the recovery of our community that has been devastated by this fire.”

    In Yuba County, the Cascade fire is 45 percent contained as of Oct. 12. “Evacuation orders are being lifted in parts of Yuba County,” said Janine Hasey, UC Cooperative Extension director for Sutter and Yuba counties. “Kate Wilkin, our new UC Cooperative Extension forestry, fire science and natural resources advisor in Sutter, Yuba, Butte and Nevada counties, has assembled resources for residents who are returning to their homes at http://cesutter.ucanr.edu/Fire_Information. We will be updating the website with more recovery information in the coming days.”