Success Stories

RB United program in Rancho Bernardo, 400 attendees

Business and Ecology Consulting provided the “Living with Wildfire Program” to homeowners’ associations in Rancho Bernardo in July and August 2008, with an astounding turnout and commitments of 400 homeowners to start making the retrofit and maintenance changes that will decrease their wildfire property risks.  The program was sponsored by RB United, a coalition of homeowners’ associations; delivered by Business and Ecology Consulting and Community Green Scene; and funded by a grant from The San Diego Foundation’s “After the Fires Fund.” 

The program elements were offered three times, including the three-hour “Living with Wildfire” class; demonstrations at two homesites, with a local fire behavior specialist and landscape architect assessing the wildfire property risks of structures and landscaping; homeowners completing online assessments of their properties; and a two-hour workshop to identify solutions and write personalized action plans for maintenance and retrofits.  Evaluations confirmed the value of community sponsorship, and the program’s effectiveness in homeowners understanding why and how to get the work done.   Click to access final report.

Deer Springs Fire Safe Council, 400 attendees

The “Living with Wildfire” course was sponsored by the Deer Springs Fire Safe Council, Welk Resort, and State Farm Insurance Company on August 11, 2008 and was attended by 104 local professionals and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members in the afternoon and by 300 homeowners and community members in the evening.  During breaks and between class sessions, attendees viewed exhibits of fire-safe products from eight local distributors.   Organized by Craig Cook, President, Deer Springs Fire Safe Council. 

Living with Wildfire classes, 1200 attendees to date

• City of Chula Vista, August 29, 2007
• City of Del Mar, February 22, March 12, and June 4*, 2008
• City of San Diego, April 16*, May 8* and May 16*, 2008
• RB United, July 22, August 2 and 7 (described above)
• Deer Springs Fire Safe Council, August 11*, 2008 (described above)

*Partially sponsored by State Farm Insurance Company

Wildfire Education for Professionals, 200 attendees to date

• March 9, 15, 23 and 31, 2007*
• Friday, November 30, 2007
• Thursday, March 13, 2008
• Thursday, May 15, 2008