Briceland Fire Protection District

Notice of Public Meeting

The Briceland Fire Protection District will host a public meeting

Wednesday, July 24  5:30-6:30 pm at the Briceland Fire Station

to answer District residents’ questions regarding a fire protection district parcel tax increase due to rising costs.

The parcel tax, which was approved by 85% of the District voters in August 2012, included pre-approval of a cost of living increase tied to the Consumer Price Index, but no greater than 5% per year.

The District proposes to increase the parcel tax by 3.3% in FY 2024-2025, from $98.18 to $101.42.  This increase is based on the rate of inflation at the end of the third quarter of FY 2023-2024 from the California State Department of Finance, Industrial Relations Office of Research.

More information on the Consumer Price Index can be found at:  http://www.dof.ca.gov/forecasting/economics/indicators/inflation

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Assignment to CalFire Alderpoint station

While many CalFire resources were deployed to corral a recent outbreak of wildfires in the Central Valley and Southern California, some local government fire departments were called on to help fill the gaps to maintain emergency fire and medical response for the unit.

During assignment at the Alderpoint CalFire station, E5436 responded to a report of a vehicle fire with spread to the surrounding vegetation on a private road near the intersection of Alderpoint and Bell Springs. An officer with Alderpoint VFD was first at scene and assumed the role of Incident Commander, slowing down the vegetation fire using a backpack sprayer while also directing incoming air and ground resources by radio. E5436 arrived shortly after and assisted to contain the fire and doused the fully engulfed vehicle.

Assignments like this require us to maintain our equipment and training to a high level of preparedness, and our department dedicates many hours of volunteer hours to the task. Thank you very much to CalFire for entrusting us to staff their facilities in times of need and to our many supporters who have help build Briceland VFD into the department that it is today.

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BVFD Alumni Zacharie Fansler awarded the SRF 2023 Firefighter of the Year

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Lachinde, 2024 RT-130 Wildland Fire Readiness Drill

This Sunday, June 9th 2024 was another great success in skill sharing and camaraderie at the Southern Humboldt Community Park with our fire service community! The Wailaki word Lachinde (meaning “Hazel”) was used as the incident name for this training to honor the work of local indigenous peoples to restore cultural burning to our landscape. It was truly a huge undertaking with participation and collaboration from many volunteer fire departments, CalFire as well as prescribed fire and cultural fire practitioners.

The Wildlands Readiness Drill completes the 2nd weekend of training and fulfills the NWCG requirements for our Academy trainees to reach FFT2, a nationally recognized qualification. It also serves as the annual refresher for seasoned fire service members to renew their certification.

Engines and fire service members from Garbervile Fire, Miranda Fire, Salmon Creek Fire Protection District, Redway Fire Protection District, Shelter Cove Fire Department, Whale Gulch VFC, Telegraph Ridge Volunteer Fire, Fruitland Ridge VFD, Palo Verde VFC, Honeydew VFC, and Petrolia Fire joined Briceland VFD together with members of the Wailaki Cultural Burn Crew and the Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association.

Special thanks to CalFire HUU and the crew of ‘copter 901 that gave us a close up view of their aircraft as well as to sponsors providing funding to make this possible; the California State Coastal Conservancy, Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association, Humboldt Co. Resources Conservation District and the Humboldt Co. Fire Instructors Association. Also thanks to Serenity Wood and Shelter Cove 5100 for the photos!

 

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Wildland Engine Operator Course hosted by BVFD

Thank you to everyone who participated in and helped to organize the recent Humboldt Wildland Engine Operator course hosted by BVFD!
This encompassed 3 days of intense training in all aspects of wildland fire engine operation; from vehicle safety checks and maintenance, radio communication and following ICS (Incident Command System), to pumping and drafting operations and culminating with student drivers trekking into the challenging back roads of Humboldt County. Engines and Firefighters from Piercy Volunteer Fire Department, Salmon Creek Fire Protection District, Shelter Cove Fire Department, Whale Gulch and Telegraph Ridge Volunteer Fire joined us. Special thanks to Green Diamond Resource Co. for opening up their property for us to train, and our sponsors providing funding; California State Coastal Conservancy, Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association, Humboldt Co. Resources Conservation District and the Humboldt Co. Fire Instructors Association.

 

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Briceland Fire Protection District

Meeting Agenda

May 22,2024  3:15pm

at BVFD Fire Station

  • Approve Agenda
  • Approve Minutes of Last Meeting (2/7/2024)
  • BVFD Report – Jim Fulton, BVFD Deputy Chief
  • MOU with Telegraph Ridge FPD – Vote to Approve and Sign
  • MOU with Briceland VFD – Vote to Approve and Sign
  • BFPD Fiscal Report – Joan Courtois, BFPD Financial Agent
  • Warrant to Release Funds to BVFD – Vote to Approve and Sign
  • County’s Request for Audit Report – Joan Courtois
  • Review 2024 Election Filing Requirements
  • Review Meeting Schedule for 2024 / Confirm next Meeting Date (8/7/2024 at 3:00 pm)
  • Public Comment
  • Adjourn
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New Defensible Space Project Now Taking Applicants

A new Defensible Space Project is now accepting applications!
The County of Humboldt Public Works, as a member of the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council (HCFSC), and Briceland Fire partnered to design, secure funding for, and implement a historic fire safety program to assist vulnerable residents in Southern Humboldt with creating defensible space around their homes.
The Southern Humboldt Defensible Space Project, is one of eleven projects in the state of California selected for funding under the California Fire Safe Council Defensible Space Assistance Grant Program.
Funding for this project was provided by a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program, through the California Fire Safe Council.

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S-212 Wildland Fire Chain Saw Training

Captain Damien Roomets led the recent S-212 Chainsaw training at Briceland Station, a course that provides basic knowledge of Chainsaw operation, safety and use in wildland fire situations in accordance with NWCG guidelines. After completing the classroom training, firefighters will have the opportunity to prove their proficiency in the field and receive a Faller 3 certification, which is recognized nationwide in the fire service.

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BVFD Fuels Crew continues firebreak work along China Creek and Blue Slide Roads

With financial assistance from the USDA Community Wildfire Defense Grant awarded to Briceland Fire last year, along with some favorable weather this spring, our Fuels Reduction Crew has been hard at work recently in the China Creek and Blue Slide neighborhoods. We’re creating a shaded fuel break that doubles as a escape route or access for emergency response in case of wildfire and to date we’ve cleared roadside brush and limbed up trees for approximately 3 miles, over thirty acres! There’s more to do so still, so you may see us with our type 6 fire engine and chipper if you’re in the area. Some of the roadway is narrow, so traffic may be impacted while we move through certain areas. Thank you for your patience and support!

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BVFD General Meeting 2024

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