# San Elijo Hills Fire Safe Council — Full Reference

> The San Elijo Hills Fire Safe Council (SEH FSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wildfire-preparedness organization for the San Elijo Hills community in San Marcos, California (San Diego County). Formed in March 2025 by local homeowners, it is run entirely by resident volunteers and is not a government agency. It serves five evacuation zones: 0850, 0852, 0854, 0920, and 0921. All three community zones (Old Creek Ranch, SEH North, SEH South) hold Firewise USA certification.

## Who We Are

The San Elijo Hills Fire Safe Council is a neighbor-run nonprofit. Its board members are homeowners in the five San Elijo Hills evacuation zones. In its first year the council earned Firewise USA certification for all three community zones, organized community preparedness events, published a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and built the reporting infrastructure that lets residents claim the California insurance discount they are legally owed.

To keep Firewise certification active, each zone needs residents to log one hour of preparedness activity per household annually. The board handles the paperwork; residents submit their hours once a year.

## Why It Matters: Insurance Discount

Under California's Safer from Wildfires framework, insurance companies are required to offer premium discounts to homeowners in certified Firewise USA communities. Because all three San Elijo Hills zones are Firewise-certified, residents are eligible for this discount. Maintaining certification (via annual logged hours) preserves that eligibility.

## Zone 0 — The Single Highest-Impact Action

Zone 0 is the first five feet around a home, which must be entirely noncombustible — a "moat" that prevents wind-driven embers from igniting materials next to the structure. Most homes are lost not to direct flame but to embers landing on combustible materials within this zone.

Zone 0 checklist:
1. Remove all vegetation within 5 feet to bare mineral soil.
2. Remove trees and branches within or overhanging Zone 0.
3. Replace combustible groundcover with gravel, pavers, or concrete.
4. Replace wood/vinyl fencing with metal or concrete within 5 feet.
5. Remove vehicles and parked items from within 5 feet.
6. Remove all combustible items — firewood, furniture, planters, storage.

Source: Wildfire Prepared Home Technical Standard (IBHS). Zone 0 work also counts toward annual Firewise hours.

## Evacuation

When an evacuation order is issued, every second counts. Wind-driven fires in San Diego County have traveled miles in minutes.
- Leave immediately when ordered — or before. Consider voluntary early departure to reduce road congestion.
- Grab your go-bag (packed in advance; carryable in under two minutes).
- Know your evacuation zone (0850, 0852, 0854, 0920, or 0921) and the ones next to it.
- Understand the Hi-Lo evacuation siren and Alert San Diego notifications.
- If you see fire or smoke, call 911 immediately — do not assume others have reported it.

## Real-Time Monitoring Sources

- CAL FIRE Incident Map (fire.ca.gov/incidents) — authoritative statewide active-incident source.
- Genasys Protect (protect.genasys.com) — evacuation zone lookup and status.
- Alert San Diego (alertsandiego.org) — official San Diego County emergency notification system (registration required).
- Watch Duty (app.watchduty.org) — real-time fire tracking, monitored 24/7 during incidents.
- Windy.com — live wind and weather visualization, useful during Santa Ana wind events.
- SDG&E Weather Awareness (sdgeweather.com) — regional wind, humidity, and temperature monitoring; also tracks Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
- IQAir / AirVisual — real-time air quality for San Marcos.

## Red Flag Warnings

A Red Flag Warning is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions favor rapid wildfire spread: sustained winds above 25 mph, relative humidity below 15%, and dry fuels. San Elijo Hills is most vulnerable during Santa Ana wind events (typically October through April). During any Red Flag Warning: review your evacuation plan, charge devices, top off your vehicle with fuel, and have your go-bag ready.

## Maps and Plans (Resources)

The site publishes the San Elijo Hills CWPP and a full map set: Fire Zone Map, Area Communities Map, Evacuation Map, Fire Hazard Severity Zones Map, Fire History Map, and Strategic Project Areas. It also provides a Fire Safe vendor list and homeowner insurance-discount information.

## Contact and Support

- Residents can reach the council through the contact form at sehfsc.org/contact.
- Donations are tax-deductible (501(c)(3)) and support wildfire education, prevention, and emergency preparedness in San Elijo Hills.
- Follow on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Linktree (@sehfsc / @SEHFSC).

## Emergency Disclaimer

This website is an informational and preparedness resource. It is not a real-time emergency dispatch or official alerting system. In an emergency, call 911. Alerts on the site supplement — and never replace — official channels such as 911, CAL FIRE, and Alert San Diego.

## Page Index

- Home: https://sehfsc.org/
- Prevention: https://sehfsc.org/prevention/
- Zone 0: https://sehfsc.org/prevention/zone-0/
- Preparation: https://sehfsc.org/preparation/
- Evacuation: https://sehfsc.org/evacuation/
- Today's Fire Weather: https://sehfsc.org/fire-weather/
- Current Active Fires: https://sehfsc.org/active-fires/
- Resource Dashboard: https://sehfsc.org/dashboard/
- Firewise Reporting: https://sehfsc.org/firewise/
- Programs: https://sehfsc.org/programs/
- Resources: https://sehfsc.org/resources/
- About Us: https://sehfsc.org/about/
- Contact: https://sehfsc.org/contact/
- Donate: https://sehfsc.org/donate/
- News & Updates: https://sehfsc.org/news/
- Events: https://sehfsc.org/events/
- Accessibility: https://sehfsc.org/accessibility/
- Policies: https://sehfsc.org/policies/