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.

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

Creating Wildfire Adapted Homes & Landscapes

What Can Be Done to Reduce Structure Loss from Wildfire? Treating the Vegetation: Defensible Space. Protecting Homes through Better Design and Materials. Defensible Space as Management Zones. Can the Fire Department Safely Drive the Access Roads to Your House?

Fire Forward: Building Ecosystem Resilience Together

Fire Forward, a program of Audubon Canyon Ranch, brings a unique blend of science-based program design and community organizing as it seeks to become a model of fire-adapted communities tending fire-adapted landscapes.

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.

PREScRIBED FIRE

Using controlled burns to prevent future infernos.

PROTECTING LIVESTOCK

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

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.

Earth, Fire, and Water

CAFF Sends Fellow to Fire Practitioner Training Last fall, CAFF’s Wildfire Resilience Program sent Josh Harjes, its resident Grizzly Corps fellow, to a Firefighter Type 2 training in northwestern Sonoma County. There he learned about fire lighting techniques, fire suppression

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”.

Service Providers for Small Farmers – Crowd Sourced

Farm Operational Continuity Template

What if you or members of your crew get sick? Use this template, combining standard operations procedures with emergency planning to help keep your farm going when unexpected events happen.

Family Emergency Plan (en español)

Plan de Comunicaciones Familiares – Es probable que su familia no esté junta cuando ocurra un desastre, de modo que deben plani˜car cómo se van a comunicar y decidir de antemano lo que h arán en diferentes situaciones.

Family Emergency Communication Plan

This document outlines three steps to take to create your Family Emergency Communication Plan: collect contact information for your family and other important contacts; make sure everyone carries a copy of this information with them; and have regular household meetings

Farm Emergency Checklist & Contact Form

Protecting your farm involves a number of considerations – family members, co-workers or employees, buildings, equipment, livestock, and crops. Planning ahead for all-hazard situations can help to minimize the impact and speed the recovery process for you and your farm.

Correct Potential Hazards Before a Disaster

Identify hazards in advance! During and right after a disaster, any household item that can move, fall, break, or cause a fire becomes a home hazard. To minimize possible danger, inspect your home now to find and correct potential hazards.

Purchasing a Back-Up Generator for the Farm

Feeling the effects of disasters has made farmers consider the purchase of a gasoline-powered generator to run household appliances and perform farm-related tasks. Knowing how to use generators safely is important to protect life and property.

Family Escape Plan

Do you know how to escape from your home if it’s on fire? During a true emergency, the simplest of things, like leaving your home, can become very difficult. In today’s home made up of plastic and synthetics, you may

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.