French Gulch Volunteer Fire Department

05/28/2026

Stay Ready Shasta!

Check out the link below, use the tips provided, and request an inspection to help keep your home, property, and community fire-ready.

https://stayreadyshasta.com/

Stay Ready Shasta is your local resource from Shasta County Fire for practical steps to help protect our communities from wildfire.

05/23/2026

Parking in dry grass can spark a wildfire in seconds. Hot exhaust systems and catalytic converters can ignite vegetation before you even realize there’s a problem. Protect our community by parking only on pavement, dirt, or gravel, avoiding idling over dry grass, checking your surroundings, and keeping your vehicle maintained. Carry water or a fire extinguisher and report fires immediately. One spark is all it takes.

05/21/2026

🚨 Week 4 of the French Gulch Volunteer Fire Department Fire Readiness Challenge is here! 🚨

This week’s focus is all about helping emergency responders find you quickly and building a stronger, more prepared community.

✅ Make sure your address is clearly visible from the street — day and night
✅ Install reflective numbers at least 4 inches tall
✅ Clear away brush or anything blocking visibility
✅ Gather with neighbors and talk about evacuation routes, hazards, and preparedness

Prepared communities protect each other, and small steps today can make a huge difference during an emergency. Let’s work together to keep French Gulch ready and resilient! 🔥🏡

05/16/2026

🔥 Fire extinguishers are one of the simplest tools that can make a huge difference during the first moments of a fire emergency. Having the right extinguisher, knowing where it is, and understanding how to use it can help protect lives, homes, and property.

Remember the PASS method:
🧯 Pull the pin
🎯 Aim at the base of the fire
✋ Squeeze the handle
↔️ Sweep side to side

Take a few minutes today to check your extinguisher gauge, make sure it’s accessible, and review how to use it with your family. Preparation matters.

If the fire is growing, smoke is building, or you don’t feel safe — get out immediately and call 911.

05/14/2026

Week 3 of the French Gulch Volunteer Fire Department Fire Readiness Challenge is here! 🔥🌲

This week’s focus is all about reducing the fuels around your home and property: 🪵 Move firewood piles at least 30 feet away from structures
🌱 Keep grass mowed to 4 inches or less
🍂 Clear dead vegetation, leaves, and downed limbs

Small actions now can make a huge difference during wildfire season. Together, we can help create a safer, more fire-adapted community.

Prepare. Act. Survive. 🚒

05/08/2026

☀️ Heat can become dangerous fast — especially during Northern California’s hottest days. French Gulch Volunteer Fire Department wants to help keep our community safe with important information on recognizing, preventing, and treating heat illness.

Know the warning signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, stay hydrated, take breaks in the shade, and never leave children or pets in vehicles.

A little preparation can save a life.

Stay informed. Stay prepared. Your safety is our priority.

05/07/2026

🔥 FRENCH GULCH VFD FIRE PREPAREDNESS CHALLENGE – WEEK TWO 🔥

This week’s challenge is all about creating safer defensible space around your home through proper vegetation spacing. Small actions now can make a big difference during wildfire season.

✅ Limb up trees 6–10 feet from the ground
✅ Thin dense shrubs and small trees
✅ Break up continuous fuel beds
✅ Reduce ladder fuels and fire spread potential

Take a few minutes this week to improve the safety of your property, your family, and your neighborhood. Every step helps strengthen our community’s wildfire readiness.

🌲 Challenge yourself to: • Limb up at least 3 trees
• Thin one dense vegetation area
• Identify and reduce fuel continuity around your home

Together we can help protect French Gulch and surrounding communities. 🚒

05/04/2026

🔥 FIRE READINESS STARTS AT HOME 🔥
The French Gulch Volunteer Fire Department is kicking off our Fire Readiness Challenge—and Week 1 is all about creating a safer space around your home.
🏡 Week 1: The 5-Foot “Ember-Free” Sweep
Your mission: Clear everything flammable within 5 feet of your home’s foundation.
✅ Rake up dead leaves and debris
✅ Move wood piles at least 30 feet away
✅ Replace bark mulch with non-combustible materials like rock or pavers
These simple steps can make a big difference when it comes to protecting your home from wildfire.
👉 Take the challenge, snap a photo of your progress, and help spread the word!
Prepare today. Protect tomorrow. 🌲

04/30/2026

🔥 Burn Season Reminder 🔥
As we move into burn season, we want to remind our community that door yard burning requires adherence to current regulations.
📄 Please take a moment to review the attached regulations to ensure you are burning safely and in compliance.
Following these guidelines helps protect your property, your neighbors, and our firefighters.
Thank you for doing your part to keep our community safe.

04/14/2026

Downed power lines are deadly—always assume they’re live. Stay at least 30 feet away, keep others back, and call 911. If a line hits your vehicle, stay inside unless there’s immediate