Lessons learned in fire-prone Sonoma County, California
Sponsored by Hexagon
In October of 2017, an electrical malfunction in northern California sparked what would become one of the largest wildfires in the state’s history.
The so-called Tubbs Fire, which started on Tubbs Lane in Napa County and quickly spread to Sonoma County, burned 36,807 acres, destroyed more than 5,600 structures and resulted in 22 deaths. The total damage estimate was more than $1.3 billion, one of the 10 most destructive fires ever in California.
Between 2017 and 2020, Sonoma and surrounding counties dealt with three more major wildfires—the Walbridge Fire, the Glass Fire, and the Kincaid Fire—each exacting huge tolls on lives, property and resources.
“By the time we caught our breath, we were in four major fires in three years,” said Bret Sackett, executive director of the Sonoma County Public Safety Consortium. “And so, the fact that we haven’t had a fire since 2020 – or a significant fire – I think has a lot to do with the lessons we learned in (2017-20) and the things we put in place.”
Experience has been a key factor in preparing to prevent wildfires. Each major fire prepares responders more for the next one. But technology—from AI-equipped fire-spotting cameras to text alert platforms and dynamic mapping to speed evacuations—has played a major role in the ongoing battle, said Sackett.
Here are five ways technology is helping to keep wildfires at bay in Sonoma County and surrounding areas of northern California:
3. Orchestrated ecosystem: These days, emergency communications systems rely on dozens of third-party apps for various needs and seamless integration is a necessity. Mobile communication and mapping apps for responders in the field, drone video, lightning strike alerts, and apps to quickly triangulate the location of cell phone signals, for example, must all work in concert with the CAD, so dispatchers aren’t forced to toggle between multiple screens and waste valuable time. Giving dispatchers access to everything they need in a single interface is key to efficient workflow and rapid response times.
4. Scalability on demand: An emergency communication center’s average call volume can quickly explode during an emergency such as a wildfire. During the 2017-2020 period, when Sonoma County was experiencing multiple major fires, its CAD vendor, Hexagon, deployed people to add extra users and help keep the system operating at optimum levels.
5. Communication channels: With everyone on cell phones today, it’s important to have multiple sources of communication and alerts. Having systems in place to geotarget public alerts and evacuation orders through social media and text with links to evacuation zones and routes is key to saving as many lives as possible.
The devastating impact of the Tubbs Fire and subsequent wildfires in Sonoma County between 2017 and 2020 underscored the urgent need for improved wildfire prevention and response strategies.
The integration of advanced technologies has not only improved the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency response efforts but also contributed to the region’s resilience against future fire threats.
“It’s not that we haven’t had fires, it’s that we can [deploy] resources so you can knock that thing down before it becomes a problem,” Sackett said.
Other jurisdictions in wildfire-prone areas can learn from Sonoma County’s experiences and its response. By continuing to invest in and refine these technological solutions, officials are better equipped to protect lives, property and resources from the ever-present threat of wildfires.