BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES

From reducing fuel load on your property to crop insurance, there are many things you can do today to prevent or at least mitigate destruction in the event of a natural disaster. The below resources offer tips and tools for you, your farm and your community.

"Having survived a wildfire, but losing my home and barn in the process, these days I'm much more aware of the steps we farmers can take now so that when disaster does hit, it's not so destructive."

David Cooper

Oak Hill Farm

LAND, ECOSYSTEM & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Resources to help you prepare your home, your property and the land for disaster.

Video: Hunter Grazing Cooperative Overview

This video details the work of Sarah Keiser and her efforts in Community Grazing Cooperatives.

Fire Is Family: A Conversation With The Yurok Tribe’s Cultural Fire Management Council

Tribal members Elizabeth Azuz and Margo Robbins join Farmer Campus’s Farmers Build Fire Resilience online course to share knowledge with producers learning to live with the repercussions of an intensifying wildfire season.

Sonoma Biochar Project

Biochar is a specialized form of charcoal that is produced by heating biomass using high heat (typically 350 C to 1000 C) in low-oxygen environments, and that is suitable for use in agriculture. It is commonly used as a soil

Forest Management Handbook for Small-Parcel Landowners in the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascade Range

A significant portion of Sierra Nevada and southern Cascades forests are owned and managed as small parcels (10 to 100 acres) by nonindustrial private landowners. This handbook is for such landowners; it provides succinct, straight-forward, and thorough information to help

Planned Herbivory in the Management of Wildfire Fuels

Grazing is most effective at treating smaller diameter live fuels that can greatly impact the rate of spread of a fi re along with the flame height. Wildfires are increasing in number, intensity, and size. Five of the most significant

Fire-Resistant Plants for Landscapes

As homeowners continue to build in the wild and urban interface, they must take special precautions to protect their homes. One way to do this is to create a defensible space around the home, and one important factor can be

A Land Manager’s Guide for Creating Fire-Resistant Forests

This publication provides an overview of how various silvicultural treatments affect fuel and fire behavior, and how to create fire-resistant forests. In properly treated, fire-resistant forests, fire intensity is reduced and overstory trees are more likely survive than in untreated

Landscape Debris Burning Safety

During certain times of the year and in certain parts of the state, residential landscape debris burning of dead vegetation is allowed. However, homeowners should always check with their local fire station or CAL FIRE station, as well as local air

PREScRIBED FIRE

Using controlled burns to prevent future infernos.

Pathways to Prescribed Fire Report March 2022

From the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition (RVCC), three case studies highlighting opportunities for community based nonprofits to build cooperative burning capacity.

PROTECTING LIVESTOCK

Resources to help you prepare livestock in the event of a wildfire.

HALTER Project

The HALTER Project provides first responders and their communities with information and resources for animal emergencies. In any situation: road accident, fire, flood, earthquake, landslide, or pasture, the best outcome for animals and humans is achieved through teamwork between trained first

Developing a Wildfire Plan for Livestock

With the fires raging across the state, we are reminded once again of the risk wildfire poses to all of our farms and ranches. It is a good time to revisit (or create) a farm and ranch safety plan and

Saving the Whole Family

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has developed this booklet to help you avoid having to leave your animals stranded in the event of a disaster or an evacuation. Tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires, blizzards, terrorism… Devastating natural and man-made disasters

Webinar: Saving the Ranch

Wildfire preparedness tips from a firefighter, veterinarian, and ranch owner. Presented by the UC Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security and the Halter Project.

Disaster Planning for Livestock

Transporting livestock animals to safety when disaster strikes can be difficult. Disaster preparedness is important for all animals, but it is particularly important for livestock because of the animals’ size and the requirements needed to shelter and transport them. If

Wildfire & Rangeland Management: Mediating Impacts to Conservation & Ranching

A series of presentations from California ranchers, technical advisors, and researchers on wildfire risk management in rangelands. From the California Rangeland Conservation Coalition.

INSURANCE

Insurance options to help protect your crops and property against natural disasters.

Webinar: Climate Conversations: Insurance

A conversation about how to ensure the insurance industry can continue to support Americans amidst increasing climate hazards.

Webinar: Financial Prep For Disaster 101

From Farmer Campus, this recorded workshop will give you an overview of the financial resources available to farmers in the event that a disaster strikes.

Webinar: Small Farms Disaster Insurance Part 1

From Farmer Campus, this webinar provides an overview of insurance for small farms, including how insurance works and what to buy.

Micro Farm Program

Information about The Micro Farm program offered through the USDA. The Micro Farm program provides a risk management safety net for all commodities on your farm under one insurance policy. This insurance plan is tailored for any farm with up

Introducing The New Micro Farm Insurance Program For Farmer And Ranchers

This recorded webinar with Catharine Anderson the Risk Management Agency covers the new Micro Farm program. This new crop insurance program is offered through the Whole-Farm Revenue Protection policy and is tailored to small producers who sell their products locally with operations that earn

Service Providers for Small Farmers – Crowd Sourced

From Farmer Campus, this crowd sourced spreadsheet contains recommendations for farmers to obtain support and connect with agents around disaster and crop insurance, as well as bookkeepers, CPAs, and attorneys.

CA Dept. of Insurance

The California Department of Insurance (CDI) provides several information guides, tips and tools to help you understand home/residential insurance so that you can make the best decision for your situation. If you do not find the information you need, we invite you

The FAIR Plan

The FAIR Plan provides insurance as a last resort, and should be used only after a diligent effort to obtain coverage in the voluntary market has been made.

PREPARING YOUR COMMUNITY

Tips and resources to help your community prepare collectively for the event of disaster, from mobilizing your neighborhood to local policies.

Community Wildfire Planning Center

This non-profit organization believes in empowering people through wildfire education and action. They assist state and local governments, fire departments, land managers, and residents in creating safe and vibrant places. Also, they inspire change by facilitating positive outcomes. Check out

Wildfire Community Preparedness Day 2023

Happy wildfire community preparedness day! Have you ever looked at your calendar and noticed there’s a holiday that you’ve never heard of before? Sure, there are the ones that are quite well-known, but every once in a while you see

Episode 2: Wild Oat Hollow Penngrove, CA

In this episode, Sarah Keiser of Wild Oat Hollow in Penngrove, CA describes her entry into ranching and how her love of the land positioned her to become a leader in developing and supporting community grazing cooperatives. Join us as

New Podcast Season: Farmer Stories of Wildfire Recovery & Preparedness

CAFF’s Wildfire Resilience Program provides specialized recovery and preparedness resources for small farms and communities in California impacted by wildfire and those seeking to prepare against future threats. One of the best mediums for conducting this type of outreach and

The Combustibility of Landscape Mulches from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

Using the results from this project, recommendations are offered concerning the use of mulches in wildfire hazard areas.

Fire Safe Council Handbook

A Fire Safe Council is a coalition of public and private sector organizations that share a common, vested interest in wildfire prevention and loss mitigation.

Maneuvering Through Wildfire Evacuations – for Small Farmers

Farmers face increasing fire frequency, size and severity due to several factors, including climate change, the spread of invasive grasses and by changing farming practices. If you live and farm in California, wildfire is not an “if” but a “when”.

Community Wildfire Protection Plans

This series offers a set of lessons learned concerning the collaborative processes that influence and guide the development of community wildfire protection plans (CWPPs) under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA 2003). The lessons learned are offered in relatively short

Building Vulnerability to Ember Exposure

As part of its research effort to study and understand the vulnerabilities of buildings subjected to wildfire exposures, IBHS developed the capability of simulating ember exposures on building components and assemblies. These videos show the results of their simulations.

Quick Intro to On-Farm Fire Preparedness

In this 7 minute overview, you will learn about basic concepts to get your farm prepared for wildfire season.

Fighting Farmland and Rangeland Wildfires

A reference for employers engaged in Oregon OSHA’s Agriculture (Division 4) activities.

Wildfire Preparedness in Agriculture – Online Course Certified for OR OSHA

This course is designed to prepare farmers, ranchers and rural residents for wildfires. You will cover wildfire risk awareness, emergency response and prevention planning, and creating defensible space. Over the course of seven modules, you will learn how to create

Ready on the Farm Disasters Preparedness Plan

From Farmer Campus and Nuestra Comunidad, Disaster Preparedness Plan for farming or ranching families, businesses and their workforce.

Go-Kits and Wildfire Emergency Plans from Bee-Well Farms

Getting your farm and crew prepared for a disaster like a wildfire can feel overwhelming – but having a plan and Go-Bags ahead of time is a critical step in decreasing your risk and increasing your ability to safely and

Intro to On-Farm Wildfire Preparedness with BeeWell Farms, Farmer Campus and CAFF

As we head into spring, there’s no better time to evaluate your on-farm risk, get your evacuation plan made and practice your response plan ahead of fire season! Check out this workshop recording featuring guest farmer educators Austin and Melissa

Service Providers for Small Farmers – Crowd Sourced

The Aftermath

Once the smoke has cleared, there’s a lot more to do than just assess the damage. The steps you take in the aftermath of a natural disaster can help position you, your farm and your community for a healthy and equitable recovery. From financial aid to land management practices, these resources will help get you back on your feet and back to farming the food we need.