FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAGUNA BEACH HIGH SCHOOL
CONTACT: Hadley Mello
hadley.mello@lbusd.org

March 13, 2025

Laguna Beach students and local agencies partner for fire safety campaign to protect homes and community

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. - Laguna Beach Fire District, Laguna Beach Water District, Greater Laguna Coast Fire Safety Council and Laguna Beach High School have all united towards a common cause: working to keep Laguna Beach safe from wildfires with the launch of the 2025 fire safety campaign. 

Students at Laguna Beach High School have designed reusable tote bags to spread the message of fire safety and home hardening—the process of enhancing a home's ability to withstand wildfires within the ignition zone, which extends 100-200 feet from any structures and vegetation on the property. It is crucial to spread awareness about this issue, as many people do not fully understand the dangers of fire or the steps you take can to help prevent it. These bags will be distributed as an incentive to those who take measures to protect their property and community from wildfires. 

Fires have long been a significant threat to Southern California, and now, more than ever, it’s crucial that we take action to prevent homes from catching fire. Firefighter Robert Abjay, captain of the Laguna Beach Fire Department, said that completely eliminating fire is impossible. “You can only reduce the level of risk,” said Abjay. Even though fire will always be a risk, taking small steps toward creating a more secure home can have a lasting impact. 

According to the FEMA Guide Reducing Wildfire Risk, some ways to increase your home’s safety in a fire include creating defensible space around your home, working with neighbors to develop communal defensible space, planting verified fire-resistant plants, shrubs, and trees throughout your property, developing and maintaining a fire-resistant landscape where necessary, and consulting a local wildfire specialist, fire department personnel, fire ecologist, or fire landscape architect.

Some general characteristics of fire-resistant plants include being drought-resistant, containing high moisture, having low amounts of volatile oils and other flammable chemicals, being noninvasive, producing less dead material, and thriving without supplemental fertilization. While some plants are marketed as “fire-safe,” all plants can and will burn under the right conditions. The environment in which the plant grows and how it is maintained will have a greater influence on flammability than its inherent characteristics.

According to the Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide, different types of landscapes and locations can significantly influence wildfire vulnerability in an area. Here are some of the precautions you should take based on the area in which you live:

1. For homes on steep slopes: Prioritize defensible space in order to prevent flames from burning vegetation and spreading to the underside of decks.
2. For homes in dense neighborhoods: Develop defensible space by thinning trees and shrubs between homes and engaging with neighbors to encourage community-wide efforts to reduce wildfire vulnerability.
3. For homes on large parcels: Focus on creating and maintaining defensible space as well as implementing home-hardening techniques to reduce vulnerability to embers.

Dr. David Horne, chair of the Greater Laguna Coast Fire Safety Council, suggests cleaning out dusty areas of your home, such as inside vents and under porches and decks, to help reduce the risk of fire. “You have to take matters into your own hands,” Horne said. “It’s up to us to protect our homes  and our town’s future.”

In an interview conducted by a Laguna Beach high student, a South Laguna resident Walter Mello said, “While I don’t think you can completely prevent fire, you can take steps to put yourself in a better position to avoid tragedy.” Even though Mello has lived in Laguna Beach for three years, he quickly came to understand how essential fire safety and home hardening are in keeping the community safe.

Home hardening acts as a shield against flames, and is ultimately the dividing force between survival and devastation. Using fire-resistant materials for roofing, siding, and decks isn’t just an extra precaution, it is a defense against disaster. These precautions give residents the best chance of withstanding the destruction that may occur when the winds blow and the flames begin to rise.

Taking these extra steps and precautions to protect your home from fire can be the deciding factor between survival and destruction. Taking the additional time and effort is never the wrong choice when it comes to fire safety. Remember, you are not just protecting your home— you are protecting your life. 

Wildfires are more than a threat to homes and communities— they are a stark reminder of our vulnerability to nature’s forces. For the residents of Laguna Beach, the state of California, and communities worldwide, wildfires represent more than just an environmental challenge. They are a force that tests our preparedness, resilience, and commitment to creating a safer environment.

# # #