Verbal Comment - Rob Stump5/20/2025
Wildfire Preparation and Prevention
Wildfire Advisory Group — May 2025
Los Gatos
1
Why Now?
• Community Concerns: It
could -never did happen
1 Loma Fire — 2016: Burned
4,400 acres, 12 homes
1 CZU Lightning Fire — 2020:
Burned 86,000 acres, 1490
homes/structures, one fatality
1 Los Angeles Wildfires — 2025:
Burned 57,000 acres,18,000+
homes/structures, at least 30
fatalities, damages estimated
at $250-$275B
2
1
5/20/2025.
Why Now?
• Demonstrated Leadership
✓ Town Manager: experience and
commitment
✓ Council Member Rennie: Board
Member, SCC FireSafe Council
1 Emergency Manager: appointed to
manage/coordinate emergency •
preparedness, mitigation, response,
and recovery programs
3
Mission & Approach
• Formed March 2025. Team of Los Gatos
residents, SCCFD, Saratoga Vice Mayor, Monte
Sereno Council Member and residents.
• Review and Update: 2020 Ad Hoc Wildfire Report
and Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).
• Provide advice on critical wildfire initiatives,
priority and cost estimates for development and
implementation.
• Publish a Report.
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2
5/20/2025
Recommendations
Town -Led Initia '
Investment
Emergency Communication
Evacuation Planning
Roadside Fuel Reduction / Vegetation
Management
Defensible Space/Home Hardening
Education & Outreach
Total
$1,646,000
1,185,000
2,220,000
200,000
32,500
$5,483,500
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Recommendations — Cont'd
Investments
• Town -led = $2.2 million/year
• 3,100 WUI Homeowners (estimates)
✓ Defensible Space = $3.0 million/year
✓ Home Hardening = $3.0 million/year
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3
5/20/2025_
�F.
Immediate
Focus
Town
• Evacuation Simulation
and Plan
• Roadside Fuel Reduction
WUI Homeowners
• Firewise Communities
with emphasis on
Defensible Space and
Home Hardening
•
b•
•
Monte Sereno1
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Next Steps
• Proceed in partnership with Community
members and neighboring communities
of Monte Sereno and Saratoga
• Mobilize Community Members
• Establish regular reporting on progress
Let's save lives, protect homes, and invest
in resilience —together.
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4
5/20/2025
Wildfire Preparation and Prevention
Evacuation
Wildfire Advisory Group — May 2025
Los Gatos
9
Why
Now?
• Wake -Up Call
1 Los Angeles Wildfires
1 Local Traffic Concerns
• State Laws
1 SB 99
1 AB 747, AB 1409
• One of the most critical wildfire
preparedness measures (NIST)
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5
5/20/2025.
y out. YOUR CITYWIDE EVACUATION
,!ways out or your mlgbborlipod le
Recommendations
• Develop a tech -
driven evacuation
simulation for Los
Gatos -Monte Sereno.
• Move forward with a
full-scale evacuation
plan.
• Cost estimates for
both efforts is about
$200,000.
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Wildfire Preparation and Prevention
Defensible Space / Home Hardening
Wildfire Advisory Group — May 2025
Los Gatos
12
6
5/20/2025
Why
Now?
HOME
HARDENING
a:l [ ul.•m en=1 n :n+,.,: ry : y make /ou: 1• bn�s wi"el;: _• r,.ydy
v
• Estimate that far less that 50% of homes in the
LG WUI meet defensible space requirements.
• Homes with defensible space / home
hardening measures increase the probability
of survival without intervention.
• Integrate defensible space / home hardening
into our community -wide planning.
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Recommendations
• Establish Firewise Communities
throughout the WUI. Focus on
defensible space / home hardening.
• Promote free Home Inspection Zone
Assessments (SCCounty FireSafe
Council). Specific recommendations
on defensible space / home harden-
ing (non -enforcement assessments).
• Establish a grant program to assist
vulnerable residents with defensible
space / home hardening projects.
n.
NFPA
FIREWISE USA
Residents reducing wildfire risks
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7
5/20/2025
Investments
Town Investment
• Grant Program for
Vulnerable Residents =
$100,000/year
Residents' Investments
(Estimates)
• Defensible Space Compliance
= $3,000,000/yr
• Home Hardening Projects
= $3,000,000/yr
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