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2026 Newsletters

July 2026

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Dear Neighbors:

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This month we have a few items and event announcements for you:

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1) GREAT NEWS! Free Green Waste Disposal for District 5 residents extended: July 25, August 29, September 26!

This program allows residents of the unincorporated areas in District Five to dispose of yard trimmings and other green waste at no cost at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station on the last Saturday of the month from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Originally scheduled to end in June, the program will now continue through September, then return in the Spring of 2027!

Just show up - No need to make an appointment! For details on load limits, green waste size and material restrictions, check out the program website and the FAQs (English or Spanish) at this website: https://cdi.santacruzcountyca.gov/PublicWorks/RecyclingSolidWaste/GreenWasteDisposalProgram.aspx

 

Every last Saturday, 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, through September 2026: July 25, 2026, August 29, 2026, September 26, 2026  

 

2) Applications for the RCD's Neighborhood Chipping Reimbursement Program open August 3, 2026, and will be accepted through October 31, 2026.

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From the organizers: "This program encourages the creation of defensible space around homes and along private roads by reimbursing eligible chipping service costs for property owners who remove and chip vegetation as part of their wildfire preparedness efforts.

 

To learn more about the program and application process, join our informational webinar on July 23 at 6:00 PM. During the webinar, we'll provide an overview of the program, eligibility requirements, and step-by-step instructions for participating in the RCD's Neighborhood Chipping Reimbursement Program.

 

For more information or to register for the event, please click HERE:

https://www.rcdsantacruz.org/get-involved/attend-an-event

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3) Coming soon:


Please keep an eye out for an email from Quail Hollow Firewise Steering Committee member Linda Covella with subject “Quail Hollow Firewise GREEN SIGN” regarding the green address signs. Her email will follow shortly after this newsletter.
 

4) Firewise Helpful Hints: Firescaping (compiled by Jeff Wells)

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Firescaping involves selecting and placing plants and landscape accents in a way that protects the property while beautifying it. While there are no fire-proof plants, some are slower to ignite and produce shorter flames and less heat if ignited. They have high moisture content, are low growing, and lack flammable compounds. High moisture content plants are herbaceous, succulent, and green. They are non-woody and include grasses, flowers, bulbs, and some ground covers. These plants burn only after being exposed to enough heat for the tissue to dry out, and they burn more slowly and less intensely than low moisture content plants.

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The Zone Theory imagines your home as the bullseye of a giant target, with each of four zones spreading out in concentric rings. The first zone, the Garden Zone, extends 30 feet from your home and is designed to withstand an onslaught of embers. The second zone, Greenbelt, extends 70 feet and its goal is to stop a ground fire. Zones 3 (120 feet) and 4 are to reduce the severity of a fire. Zone 1 should be planted with fire-retardant plants which mitigate the spread of fire.

 

Drought-tolerant plants that work well in a firescape include:

  • Flowers– Achillea species (Yarrow), Coreopsis species (Coreopsis), Echinacea purpurea (Echinacea-Coneflower), Hemerocallis species (Daylily), Iberis sempervirens (Candytuft), Oenothera species (Evening primrose), Penstemon.

  • Groundcovers and Conservation Grasses– Agropyron cristatum (Crested wheatgrass), Ajuga, Cerastium tomentosum (Snow-in-summer), Creeping phlox, Helianthemum nummularium (Rockrose), Thymus species (Thyme), Vinca minor (Dwarf periwinkle), succulents with water filled leaves like ice plants and sedums.

  • Shrubs– Berberis species (Barberry), Euonymus species (Euonymus), Forsythia species (Forsythia), Hibiscus syriacus (Rose-of-Sharon), Mahonia aquifolium‘Compacta’ (Dwarf Oregon grape), Prunus species (Bush cherry), Rosa species (Rose), Spiraea species (Spiraea).

  • Trees– Acer ginnala (Amur maple), Malus species (Apples and crabapples), Prunus species (Plum or cherry), Quercus species (Oak).

 

Highly Flammable Plants

Commonly used drought-resistant (and deer-resistant) are more flammable than most native plants. The dense growth, accumulation of dead dry leaves and stems, and the oils and resins contained in the plants render them highly flammable. Examples of highly flammable plants include Acacia, Bamboo, California Bay, Chamise, Coastal Sagebrush, Cypress, Douglas Fir, Eucalyptus, Lavender, Manzanita, Oleander, Ornamental Juniper, Rockrose, Rosemary, Scotch broom, Tan Oak, and some Ornamental Grasses. Care should be taken to not place fire prone plants adjacent to any structures and preferably not within 30 feet of the house.

 

Best regards, Jeff Wells, Patricia Odello, Frank Bäuerle, Jill Bernhard, and Linda Covella

Quail Hollow Firewise Steering Committee
https://quailhollowfirewise.wixsite.com/home

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PS: If you haven't done so already, please consider signing up for our own neighborhood communications plan for emergencies. If you would like to be included in our text list, you must opt in. 

To do so, please text ALERT to 22300

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More information, as well as a Privacy Policy, can be found on the Quail Hollow Firewise web site at  https://quailhollowfirewise.wixsite.com/home/communications.

 

June 2026

 

Dear Neighbors:

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This month we have a few items and event announcements for you:

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1) Last week we hosted a very successful educational event: Lessons from CZU: Survivors Tell Their Stories

 

Here is a summary from Jeff Wells:

More than 40 people attended this year’s educational event, which featured four residents who lost their homes in the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. The speakers shared deeply personal stories about evacuation, loss, and the long and difficult process of rebuilding their lives and homes.

Panelists described many of the challenges they encountered after the fire, including securing temporary housing, navigating insurance claims, addressing funding shortfalls, finding reliable contractors, and working through the complexities of rebuilding within Santa Cruz County regulations and permitting processes.

As we approach the six-year anniversary of the CZU Fire, recovery remains far from complete. Of the 697 parcels with dwellings that were damaged or destroyed, only 41% of destroyed homes have been rebuilt or are currently under construction, while 59% remain pending.

In addition to recounting their experiences, the speakers shared practical lessons learned and advice for neighbors seeking to improve wildfire and insurance preparedness, and interactions with persons in authority. 

The event was co-sponsored by the Rancho Rio and Sandhills of Quail Hollow Firewise communities. For those interested in learning more, the presentation can be viewed here: 
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YawhlSWbI8j9iIvLjT4lQNxgypvMOJE6NVgOL09kkgQ/edit?usp=sharing

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2) Coming soon: Keep an eye out in the next couple of weeks or so for an email from Steering Committee member Linda Covella regarding Firewise Reflective Address Signs and the easy, inexpensive way to get one for your home!

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3) Recommendations for fun family outings:

  • Sunday, June 21st (Father's Day), 7am-noon: Zayante Fire Pancake Breakfast
    At the Zayante Fire Station, 7700 E Zayante Rd, Felton, CA 95018.

  • Sunday, June 28th, 7am-11am: Ben Lomond Fire  Pancake Breakfast
    At the Ben Lomond Fire Station, 9430 Hwy 9, Ben Lomond, CA 95005.

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4) Reminder to motivate you to continue your work on defensible space on your property:

  • Saturday, June 27th, 7:30am-3:30pm: Ben Lomond Transfer Station
    The very successful free Saturday drop-offs of green waste at our local Ben Lomond Transfer Station (aka the dump) will conclude on the last Saturday of this month.

  • Reminder: As residents of the unincorporated areas of District 5 we are invited to drop off yard trimmings and other green waste for free at the dump.

  • For details on load limits, green waste size and material restrictions, you can check out the program website and the FAQs (English or Spanish).

 

5) Firewise Helpful Hints: As we are approaching fire season, here are some useful apps and services that you should consider adding/signing up for to stay informed in the event of an emergency:

 

Best regards, Jeff Wells, Patricia Odello, Frank Bäuerle, Jill Bernhard, and Linda Covella

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Quail Hollow Firewise Steering Committee
https://quailhollowfirewise.wixsite.com/home

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PS: If you haven't done so already, please consider signing up for our own neighborhood communications plan for emergencies

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If you would like to be included in our text list, you must opt in. 

To do so, please text ALERT to 22300

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More information, as well as a Privacy Policy, can be found on the Quail Hollow Firewise web site at https://quailhollowfirewise.wixsite.com/home/communications.

 

May 2026

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Dear Neighbors:

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We have a lot more announcements and information for you.

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1) Much is happening in May and June: Event Announcements

  • Week of May 3-May 9 is Wildfire Preparedness Week
    CalFire has events and resources. See https://www.readyforwildfire.org/prepare-for-wildfire/wildfire-preparedness-week

  • Sunday, May 10th (Mother's Day), 8am-noon: Felton Fire Mother's Day Pancake Breakfast
    At the Felton Firestation house, 131 Kirby Street, Felton, CA 95018

  • Saturday, June 6th, 11am-4pm: Firewise Family Day at Roaring Camp
    The event is free but please RSVP here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/firewise-family-day-at-roaring-camp

  • Monday, June 8th, 6pm-8pm, our very own educational event: Lessons from CZU: Survivors Tell Their Stories
    At 325 Marion Ave, Ben Lomond (SLVUSD office). See the attached flyer for more information.

  • Sunday, June 21st (Father's Day), 7am-noon: Zayante Fire Pancake Breakfast
    At the Zayante Fire Station, 7700 E Zayante Rd, Felton, CA 95018

  • Sunday, June 28th, 7am-11am: Ben Lomond Fire Pancake Breakfast
    At the Ben Lomond Fire Station, 9430 Hwy 9, Ben Lomond, CA 95005

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2) Residential backyard burning has ended in Santa Cruz County
See the attached flyer for more information on this, including some images of suspected escaped backyard burns.

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3) Update on Quail Hollow Firewise Donations and Expenditures

You may recall that at one of our educational events we asked for donations to help pay for some of the Firewise related expenses. We wanted to give you an update where we stand and for what purpose the donations were used. Thanks to generous donations of $2,135 by our neighbors we have been able to pay for our street signs ($175), pay for dump fees for community cleanup events ($630), and support our educational events ($250). Thank you!

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Our steering committee member Patricia Odello (odellop@gmail.com, 510 Marion Avenue) manages our finances and should you want to make a donation, please send her a check or contact her. 

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4) Marin Firewise: A treasure trove of great resources: https://firesafemarin.org/

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5) Reminder: Our own neighborhood communications plan for emergencies

If you would like to be included in our text list, you must opt in. 

To do so, please text ALERT to 22300

More information, as well as a Privacy Policy, can be found on the Quail Hollow Firewise web site at https://quailhollowfirewise.wixsite.com/home/communications.

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May 2026

 

Dear Neighbors:

Happy Spring. We have a long list of announcements and information for you.

1) Firewise Top Ten Spring Checklist

To help you get ready for fire season, steering committee chair Jeff Wells has put together a top ten list which is attached to this e-mail: “Firewise Top Ten Spring Checklist.pdf”.

2) Mark your calendar: Our annual educational event has been scheduled!

The event, Lessons from CZU: Survivors Tell Their Stories, will be on Monday, June 8th, from 6pm-8pm at the SLVUSD offices at 325 Marion Avenue. More details to follow.

3) Neighborhood clean-up day is scheduled for Saturday, May 30th

For further information about this event and how you can participate please look for the e-mail that was sent a few days ago by steering committee member Patricia Odello or e-mail me if you missed it and I am happy to forward it to you.

3) Join Our Firewise Steering Committee

We want your input and need your help. Please read the attached pdf “Firewise Steering Committee Help Needed.PDF”.

4) Re proposed statewide Zone 0 regulations

As you may know, various state government agencies are currently reviewing revised Zone 0 regulations which could have significant consequences for us. The link below leads to a seven minute video from CalFire on the latest Zone 0 draft regulations:

https://calfire.app.box.com/s/3ja7vbmjy4rqwuqxhs4lr9uw2ec04khn

The video is embedded within the following press release from the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection

PRESS RELEASE: Board Releases Latest Draft Zone 0 Regulations Ahead of Southern California Public Workshop

5) Reminder: Our own neighborhood communications plan for emergencies

If you would like to be included in our text list, you must opt in. 

To do so, please text ALERT to 22300

More information, as well as a Privacy Policy, can be found on the Quail Hollow Firewise web site at  https://quailhollowfirewise.wixsite.com/home/communications.

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April 2026

 

Dear Neighbors,

In the aftermath of this morning’s earthquake, we would like to remind you that the Quail Hollow Firewise group has established a neighborhood communications plan for emergencies.  Thanks to contributions from our neighbors, this system (on a service called One Call Now) will enable us to communicate important information during emergencies, including wildfires, extreme rain, and earthquakes. 

The system enables us to send blast emergency emails and texts to everyone. However, under FCC regulations, texts require the cell phone owner's prior consent.  If you would like to be included in our text list, you must opt in. 

To do so, please text ALERT to 22300

More information, as well as a Privacy Policy, can be found on the Quail Hollow Firewise web site at https://quailhollowfirewise.wixsite.com/home/communications. If you are unsure whether you previously provided your consent to receive texts, feel free to resubmit your information.

Our intention is to utilize this service very sparingly and only when there is truly an emergency

We conclude this note with a screenshot of a post-earthquake FaceBook message from the Zayante Fire District.

 

 

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March 2026

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Dear Neighbors,


As promised here is the information from our county Firewise coordinator Lynn Sestak about how to sign up for the free chipping program:


This year there is no special password. Instead there is a link to a special webpage.

Here is the link: Firewise Chipping | Homepage

 

Reminder: Free Drop-off of green waste at the dump this Saturday, March 28th.
 

February 2026

 

This is our first (short) communication this year with two items for your attention. 

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1) GREAT news: the popular free Saturday drop-offs of green waste at our local Ben Lomond Transfer Station (aka the dump) are back, thanks to our 5th district supervisor Monica Martinez. Here is an excerpt from her announcement of the resumption of the program:

"Beginning on March 28, residents of the unincorporated areas of District 5 are invited to dispose of yard trimmings and other green waste at no cost at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station. The program will run on the last Saturday of each month from March to June from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Just show up - No need to make an appointment! Not sure if you live in an unincorporated area of District 5? See below for more information.

For details on load limits, green waste size and material restrictions, check out the program website and the FAQs (English or Spanish). "

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The dates for your calendar are March 28th, April 25th, May 30th and June 27th

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2) A Community Conversation with PG&E - District 5 Town Hall: 

Hosted by Monica Martinez, the event is this coming Monday, March 2nd, from 6pm-7:30pm at the Boulder Creek Rec Center.

See the announcement web site for more details.

 

Now that spring is around the corner (today sure feels like it), we will restart our regular monthly newsletters next month and will make sure to inform you about our plans for the year, including our neighborhood clean-up day and educational event later this year.

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