Fire and Water: Critical issues in planning for California's future The 2019 annual conference was held in Butte County, at downtown Chico's Hotel Diamond on Friday October 25, followed by the traditional Saturday Field Trip which this year toured Paradise and Oroville, and concluding with an evening banquet at the California State Park Visitor Center on the grounds of the historic Bidwell Mansion. The primary focus of this year's conference was a review of the devastating Camp Fire which struck the community of Paradise on November 8. 2018, and an offering of planning perspectives for fire safety. A special session this year provided an overview presentation of planning roles and responsibilities, with a roundtable discussion valuable to both new and experienced commissioners alike. Participants also received presentations regarding the California State Water Project, and the Oroville Dam where the spillways have recently been reconstructed after suffering water damage in 2017. |
Friday, Oct. 25
Morning:
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David Halimi, President, Downtown Chico Business Association
Welcome to Chico! -
Dave Russell, CalFire incident commander for the Camp Fire in Paradise, California
John Messina, CalFire Division Chief, Butte County
Paradise and the Camp Fire -
Susan Hartman, Paradise Community Development Director
Rebuilding a Fire Wise Community (Slide Presentation Here) -
Jacqueline Chase, Land Use and Environmental Planning Coordinator, and
Peter Hansen, California State University Chico
Camp Fire Survivors: The Demogaphics of Displacement (Slide Presentation Here)
Note: Data in the CSU Chico slide presentation courtesy of the authors and may provide only preliminary results. Please do not cite any information from this presentation without permission of the authors.
Luncheon: Buffet provided by Hotel Diamond Dining
Afternoon:
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Tami Ritter, Supervisor, Butte County District 3
Planning and the Protection of Natural Resources -
Barbara Vlamis, Executive Director of AquAlliance.
Overpromise of Water: Threats to California's Environment, Economy and Public Health (See Chart Here) -
Michael Washam, Associate RMA Director, Tulare Couny
Congratulations, You're a Planning Commissioner. Now What? (Slide Presentation Here)
Evening:
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Reception at the Tres Hombres Blue Agave Room
Saturday, Oct.26
Morning:
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Bus Arrives Hotel Diamond at 9:00 am for field trip. Tour of Paradise/Camp Fire area led by
Sims Hawkins, CAL FIRE Battalion Chief, B2113
Luncheon:
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Food provided by Roots Catering served at the Oroville Dam Visitor Center
Afternoon:
- Jana Frazier, Tour Guide II, DWR Oroville Field Division
conducts tour of Oroville Dam and Spillway and the Aquarium/Fish Ladder. Bus Returns to Chico.
Evening:
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Banquet and Keynote Address at Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park Visitor Center.
Raeann Bossarte, California State Parks Interpreter I.