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This Week's Fire Weather
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for the East Bay Hills from Wednesday evening through Thursday, June 11–12. NWS San Francisco issued the advisory Monday, June 8.
- Northerly winds building Wednesday evening. Gusts above 45 mph possible on higher terrain.
- Relative humidity dropping into the teens in interior areas; poor overnight recovery Thursday.
- Temperatures 80s–90s inland Wednesday, cooling behind the wind shift Thursday.
Conditions ease Friday. The window is short, but the combination of high winds and critically dry fuels is exactly what makes a small ignition hard to contain. Worth a quick check before Wednesday afternoon.
Before Wednesday: The Short Checklist
You don't need to do everything before a Red Flag Warning. You need to do the things that change what happens if an ember lands near your house. Here's the short list for a day-before check.
- Zone 0: the first five feet. Clear any dry leaves, needles, or debris that accumulated since your last pass. Move combustibles away from the house: patio furniture cushions, a doormat that lives against the wall, any wood stored within five feet of the structure. It's a 20-minute job for most properties.
- Check your gutters. Dry needles in a gutter are one of the most reliable ignition sources in a wind event. If you haven't cleaned them since April, do it today. (Still on the fence about gutter guards? Why they're worth it.)
- Verify your alerts are on. AC Alert for Alameda County, CWS Alerts for Contra Costa. Check that your current phone number is registered. Evacuation zones: Contra Costa County CWS and Alameda County OES both direct residents to Genasys Protect — confirm your zone there now.
- Know your go bag is accessible. Not the time to pack it from scratch. The habit you want built before a severe event — Wednesday is the rehearsal. Alert systems and evacuation basics.
→ Full Gold Protocol: what fire season looks like week to week · Why the first five feet are where fires start
June 30: Last Call on Free Home-Hardening Programs
Three weeks left. If you're in MOFD's service area (Moraga, Orinda, or Canyon) and haven't used the Home Hardening Grant Program, the deadline is June 30, 2026. Free stainless-steel gutter coverings, free ember-resistant vent screens (or up to $1,000 reimbursement), and a free broom puller loan are all still available.
The grant forms take five minutes. The supplies are already budgeted. The only thing to do is request them before the deadline. → Full program guide: who qualifies, how to sign up
Regulatory Update: MOFD Ambulance Fees Revised, Effective July 1
At its May 20, 2026 meeting, MOFD's Board of Directors adopted Ordinance No. 26-04, a revised schedule of fees for ambulance transport and emergency medical services. The ordinance passed 4–0 (Director Jex absent) and takes effect July 1, 2026.
Ordinance 26-04 supersedes the prior fee schedule (Ordinance 25-02) and also updates collections policies, including waiver provisions for cases where payment would not be in the public interest. The full text is at MOFD ordinances and resolutions. A certified copy is available from the District Clerk at 1280 Moraga Way, Moraga, (925) 258-4501.
Ambulance transport billing goes through your health insurance first — MOFD files directly and accepts assignment. If you're uninsured or underinsured, the waiver provisions matter. If you've recently changed health plans, now is a good time to verify your current coverage includes emergency transport.
Two Updates from Your Fire Districts
ConFire: Broschard Back as Chief While Search Continues
Lewis Broschard is back as ConFire's acting chief. The County Board of Supervisors reinstated him on April 6 as a bridge appointment while the District searches for a permanent leader — he had retired March 26 after more than 18 years. ConFire serves Lafayette, parts of Martinez, and much of unincorporated Contra Costa County.
The search is looking for someone with deep WUI operations experience alongside financial and labor relations skills. Running a large urban-interface district in fire country demands all of those. Board Chair Diane Burgis noted his return "ensures experienced leadership and continuity." A short list of finalists was expected in late April or May; no public announcement of a permanent appointment has been made as of this writing. Source: Lamorinda Weekly, May 13, 2026.
MOFD: New Airway Training Program for All District Personnel
Every paramedic, EMT, and firefighter in the Moraga-Orinda Fire District completed the Airway 100 training program during March and April 2026: three hours of physician-led education focused on improving airway intubation success in the field. The program was funded by the Rescue 1 Foundation, with support from the Angie Sakalay Trust.
As part of the grant, Rescue 1 purchased video laryngoscopes (which let providers see a visualization of the patient's airway during intubation) and high-fidelity training manikins for all five MOFD stations. An ongoing computer simulation component has each paramedic completing one training session per shift throughout the year. Source: Lamorinda Weekly, May 13, 2026.
One Thing Before Wednesday: Know Your Zone
If you've never looked up your evacuation zone, now is the right moment. It takes two minutes and you only have to do it once. Go to Genasys Protect — the platform Contra Costa and Alameda counties use for evacuation zone management — type in your address, and save your zone designation. Most of Lamorinda is covered; the map shows your zone, what a warning means versus a mandatory order, and which routes out of the zone are designated.
Knowing your zone takes two minutes. Don't learn the system during an actual emergency. → The five alert systems every Lamorinda resident should have running
Where to Start if You're New Here
The best next step: take the Home Fire Readiness Score. It's a 10-minute self-assessment that tells you exactly where your home stands and what to prioritize — so you're not guessing at what matters most.
Two more things worth bookmarking for fire season:
- The Big Three: roof, vents, defensible space. The most effective moves you can make on a Lamorinda home.
- Gold Protocol: what to do each week from now through October.
Coming Soon: Community Tools
Two features are in design for Lamorinda Ready — here's where we're headed.
Community Bulletin Board. A place for neighbors to post local events, volunteer opportunities, mutual aid, public meetings, and emergency preparedness news. Posts would be moderated, categorized by city and topic, and automatically expire so the board stays current. We're also exploring whether to support linking directly to existing Facebook or Nextdoor posts — so if you've already shared something on social, you'd be able to surface it here without double-posting.
Community Resource Links. A curated directory of the organizations and official sites that matter most for Lamorinda residents — emergency alert systems, fire district pages, city emergency preparedness contacts, CERT and Firewise groups, state and utility resources. One place to find what you need without searching from scratch.
Both are still in design. If you have thoughts on what would be useful, reply to this email.
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Lamorinda Ready is a community education resource. This newsletter is for general educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, insurance, financial, or construction advice. Always consult qualified professionals and official agencies (MOFD, your city building department, the California Department of Insurance) before making decisions about your home, safety, or insurance.
Lamorinda Ready
Practical resilience for Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda.
1480 Moraga Rd Ste C #188, Moraga, CA 94556