A series of free webinars will be offered in February to help Californians recover from the impacts of wildfires. The sessions are organized by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Fire Network and its partner organizations. The webinars are aimed at homeowners, residents, resource professionals, and other community members seeking information on rebuilding after a wildfire.
The four-part webinar series covers topics such as water contamination, soil remediation, backyard animal safety, and rebuilding damaged structures. Katie Low, statewide coordinator for the UC ANR Fire Network, said: “Wildfire recovery does not happen overnight, but there are many organizations and community members committed to helping residents achieve their goals of rebuilding, rehabilitation and revegetation.”
Researchers from the UC ANR Fire Network, UC Cooperative Extension, and the California Institute for Water Resources will present findings on wildfire effects in both rural and urban settings. Sessions will address practical issues such as identifying structural damage, testing for environmental hazards, and understanding regulations related to reconstruction.
The scheduled topics include Water Resource Contamination on February 2 from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Soil Contamination and Remediation on February 10 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Backyard Chicken and Livestock Safety on February 17 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., and Rebuilding and Structure Loss on February 23 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Registration is required in advance through the provided survey link.
Additionally, another webinar series focusing on targeted grazing for fuel management will run every Tuesday between February 17 and April 21. This course is intended for practitioners, landowners, resource managers, and students interested in learning about small-ruminant grazing techniques. Participants who complete at least eight webinars along with an in-person field day at UC Davis on April 25 will earn a certificate of completion. Registration costs $60 per person.
Space is limited for both programs; more details about registration can be found at https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=47549 for wildfire recovery webinars or https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=47484 for the targeted grazing course.