With the threat of California wildfires omnipresent, one non-profit organization has strengthened its mission to deliver wildfire education and awareness to homeowners and residents in Riverside County. 

To that end, MySafe: Riverside wants to be part of the wildfire solution. 

“One of our key mission objectives is to create Fire Safe Councils and NFPA Firewise communities,” said David Barrett, Executive Director of MySafe: Riverside. “These are groups of homeowners that understand that wildfire resilience actually has to start with them.” 

MySafe:Riverside actively works with homeowners and residents to share preparation and survival tactics in wildfires. By teaching the community, it builds confidence and reduces risks of greater dangers. For instance, homeowner’s associations can become part of NFPA Firewise USA sites and California Fire Safe Councils. 

“In many places within Riverside County, there are gaps,” Barrett said. “Homeowners know that there’s wildfire risk. They know about heat and wind, and while some don’t admit climate change, regardless, they know there are risks out there that create damaging wildfire potential.”

However, Barrett added that many of those same individuals believe that no matter what happens, the fire department is going to fix everything.  

“But we’re living in different times than we were 20 years ago,” he added. 

Just look back to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. Fire raged through the region, creating the most devastating fire in years. More recently, The Gifford Fire, which ignited earlier this month and has been estimated to have swept through more than 117,000 acres, is on track to be one the area’s most destructive wildfires. 

“The fire department is terrific at suppression, putting out active fires, and responding to threats like wildfire,” Barrett said. “But there’s two issues that homeowners don’t understand. Typically, the most flammable thing you’ll find out in the open is grass. And the second most flammable thing you’ll find are structures.  

“And if residents don’t take steps to reduce the ignitability of their structures, the chance of loss if a wildfire impacts them, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s Corona, Temecula, Hemet or wherever, there’s a 40 percent chance that they will lose their home,” he added. 

MySafe:Riverside battles the complexities of education and outreach with determination. It actively assists first responders to engage with the community. It encourages residents to join the Riverside Wildfire Alliance. 

A recent grant from Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) is greatly helping with these efforts, Barrett said, adding, “If residents take the steps that we teach, which are made possible, in part, thanks to IECF, they can cut these risks in half to 20 percent.” 

The nonprofit’s website is filled with information to assist residents and in the coming months, outreach will no doubt increase. And while Barrett is pleased that reducing fire risk to 20 percent is good, it’s not enough. 

“Personally, I feel 20 percent is completely unacceptable,” he said. “That’s one-fifth, so for every five homes, one will burn, in theory. That’s not acceptable. What we’re trying to do is build more NFPA Firewise sites and continue supporting the building of Fire Safe Councils.  

“The main difference being that a Fire Safe Council can apply for its own grants related to defensible space, and to be able to help homeowners,” he added. “But for us, none of this is possible without the support of organizations like IECF.” 

Learn more at mysaferiverside.org. 

This story originally appeared in the Press Enterprise, August 2025.

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Regional fire officials and TEAM RCD met to discuss collaborations

Here in the Inland Empire, wildfire is a constant threat. But we don’t have to face this challenge alone. IECF is proud to be part of the solution through our involvement in the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity (RFFC) program.

This statewide initiative empowers regions like ours to develop and implement plans for improving forest health and protecting communities from wildfires. As part of the RFFC program, IECF administers a $1.6M block grant to increase forest and fire resilience and plays a key role in fostering collaboration between various stakeholders.

Recently, IECF’s Regional Forest & Fire Coordinator, David Hernandez, participated in a meeting that brought together regional fire officials and TEAM RCD (Temecula-Elsinore-Anza-Murrieta Resource Conservation District). The gathering highlighted the importance of working together across boundaries to build a more fire-resistant Inland Empire. Regional fire officials in attendance included Scott Tangenberg (US Forest Supervisor-Cleveland National Forest), Bill Weiser (Fire Chief-CAL Fire), Bernard Molloy (Fire Chief-Murrieta Fire), Doug Strosnider (Deputy Fire Marshal-Murrieta Fire), and Jeff Bruns (Fire Inspector-Murrieta Fire).

Recognizing that effective wildfire protection requires a joint effort across boundaries, the meeting highlighted a crucial point: collaboration is key. Participants emphasized the importance of proactive, open communication and underscored the need for a united front against wildfires.This spirit of cooperation will be instrumental in developing a comprehensive and well-supported plan. At the coalition’s next meeting in April, they will identify new partners and establish specific goals and objectives to further strengthen our regional fire resilience efforts.

What can you do today?

In an area where wildfires are increasing, informed homeowners are empowered homeowners. One way you can participate in this collaborative effort is by hardening your home against wildfires. Home hardening is a series of steps you can take to make your property less vulnerable to wildfire damage. This can involve:

• Using fire-resistant roofing and siding materials.
• Installing properly screened vents to prevent embers from entering.
• Replacing single-pane windows with double-paned windows with tempered glass.
• Creating a defensible space around your home by removing flammable vegetation and maintaining a clean landscape.

Visit Cal Fire’s excellent resource page to learn more ways you can protect your home and family from wildfire.

We’d love to hear from you! Email David Hernandez for more information, and get regular updates by visiting our dedicated RFFC webpage. By working together, we can create a safer future for our communities.

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