Sebastopol Community Vitality Recovery + Resiliency Survey
Do you live in or around Sebastopol? The city of Sebastopol and its community vitality contractor, CoMission, have released an important survey for residents of Sebastopol and people who live nearby.
The purpose of the survey is to get as clear a picture as possible of the economic and social impacts of the pandemic on local residents. Your response will help CoMission and the city make a thorough analysis of the pandemic’s impacts and will be crucial in assessing what resources and policies are needed to assist local businesses, nonprofits and Sebastopol residents, as well as the broader community.
Ultimately, it will aid in the city’s efforts to strengthen community vitality.
Take the Sebastopol Community Vitality Recovery + Resiliency Survey now: https://bit.ly/3ozI8f0
College conducting study regarding Kincade Fire evacuation behavior
The University of Florida is working on an important study regarding modeling behavior in evacuations, using the Kincade Fire as their case. This research aims to better understand and model the wildfire evacuation behavior by conducting a study with people affected by the 2019 Kincade Fire.
Wildfires have become an escalating problem in California. In order to adapt to the changing threat of wildfires, it is important to understand the household evacuation process, including how people perceive wildfire threat and respond to it. To better understand the wildfire evacuation behavior during the Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, the research team will survey those affected using interpretable machine learning to explore how different factors influenced risk perception, evacuation decision making, and subsequent evacuation behavior during the fire.
Learn more about the Modeling of Evacuation Behavior in the 2019 Kincade Fire research study and participate in the online survey here.
Deadline for phase two debris removal extended
The deadline for fire survivors to apply for the State of California’s consolidated fire debris removal program has been extended to Jan. 15, 2021 by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). The extension provides survivors of the Glass, Meyers, and Walbridge fires an additional 30 days to submit a Right of Entry (ROE) form granting access to the state’s contractor to clean up their property and/or remove fire-damaged hazard trees. The state’s consolidated debris removal program is open to those whose properties were destroyed in the fires and to property owners with fire-impacted trees in danger of falling on public roads and infrastructure. In the state program, there are no out-of-pocket costs to homeowners, regardless of insurance coverage.
Property owners who do not wish to submit a ROE for the state program can instead utilize the private debris removal option. This option allows property owners to hire a properly licensed contractor to complete the work that must comply with standards set forth by the County of Sonoma and City of Santa Rosa, depending on jurisdiction. The deadline to submit the application for private cleanup has also been extended to Jan. 15, 2021 to match the deadline for applying for the state debris removal program. Property owners who wish to hire a private contractor to perform debris removal work on their property will bear the costs associated with Phase 2. If the homeowner has insurance, debris removal costs may be covered under their policy, and it is recommended that owners consult with their insurance carrier to confirm how much of their policy is dedicated to debris removal.
While the deadline to submit paperwork for Phase 2 debris removal has been extended by another month, the city and county urge fire survivors to not delay in applying as the safe and timely removal of fire debris remains critical to protecting property owners, neighborhoods, and the community’s watersheds.
To access the ROE form, private application forms, frequently asked questions, and contact information for submitting or seeking assistance with paperwork, please visit socoemergency.org/2020-roe or contact the Right of Entry Processing Center at (707) 565-6700.
Laura Hagar Rush from Townsy Media contributed to this article.
