🔥 DUMPATHON SMASHES RECORDS! 26 TONS OF FIRE FUEL REMOVED! 🔥
The results are in and this Fall’s Dumpathon was our most successful ever! Together, we cleared a record-breaking 26 tons of green waste (that’s wildfire fuel!) from our community. That’s more than 30% higher than our Spring 2025 Dumpathon total of 19.5 tons.
Funders for the Dumpathon include The San Diego Fire Foundation, San Diego River Conservancy, SDG&E and Kensington residents. EDCO also donates dumpsters for this event.
🎅🏼🚒 LET’S TREAT OUT FIREFIGHTERS THIS HOLIDAY🎄
We’re now collecting donations for our annual Firefighter Holiday Gift—our way of thanking the firefighters who protect our homes year-round. Help us give these heroes a well-deserved holiday treat. Please show your appreciation with a gift today.
Explore Our Earth Day Fire Safety Posters
At Earth Day, we showcased key fire safety strategies like defensible space, Zone Zero, and fire-resistant building materials. Take a look at the posters we shared, complete with helpful links so you can dive deeper and protect your home and community.
We all remember the terrifying brush fire that raged in Fairmont Canyon on October 15, 2019. It presumably started in a homeless encampment somewhere off Aldine. If the winds had been blowing west, not east, our Kensington canyons and potentially our homes would have been in peril. That’s why Kensington community members take fire safety seriously. It could happen any time.
Kensington Fire Safe is a community organization under the umbrella Fire Safe Council San Diego County. We are an IRS approved 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Our mission is to educate Kensington neighbors about fire safety and encourage each other to make our homes fire safe through home hardening, brush clearing and fire-resistant landscaping.
Kensington Fire Safe is proud to be a grant recipient of the San Diego Fire Foundation, with support from the San Diego River Conservancy and SDG&E. This vital funding—along with generous donations from Kensington residents—makes our fall and spring Dumpathons possible.
We’re also deeply grateful to EDCO for their in-kind donation of dumpsters for these community cleanup events.
Thank you all for helping keep Kensington fire-safe, one Dumpathon at a time!
Kensington Fire Safe’s Latest News:
- What Exactly Are “Fire Ladders” ?
MetroView, Sept. 2025: Confused about “fire ladders”? Here’s what they are, why they matter, and how to make your home safer before the next wildfire. - Why were over 30,000 acres removed from the City of San Diego’s former High Fire Hazard Severity Zone?
MetroView, June 2025: Judy investigates how new state fire hazard maps reshaped San Diego’s designated high-risk areas—and what updates may restore critical protections. - Reduced San Diego High Fire Zones Questioned at Forum
A surprising update to the State Fire Hazard map eliminated over 30,000 acres from San Diego’s “Very High” fire zones—raising concerns about fire safety and preparedness. Local Fire Safe Councils quickly organized a public forum where CalFire and San Diego Fire-Rescue officials explained the science behind the new designations and how the city plans to respond. - San Diego Regional Fire Foundation Announces 2025 Project SAFE  Grants to Local Fire Safe Councils
$300,000 in grants awarded to 31 local Fire Safe Councils throughout the San Diego region. - Thoughts on the Los Angeles 2025 Fires by Greg RubinFollowing the devastating Los Angeles fires, landscape contractor Greg Rubin shares insights on fire-resistant landscaping gleaned from over 20 years of experience and the mentorship of CalFire firefighter Bert Wilson. He emphasizes the importance of plant hydration over specific plant selection, advocating for light overhead irrigation of native plants and shredded redwood mulch to create defensible space and protect homes from ember attacks. Rubin also proposes community-level solutions like lightly irrigated native greenbelts to buffer homes from wildland fires.
- Kensington residents concerned about fire risk posed by illegal encampmentsOn Tuesday, January 21, 2025 KPBS ran a story about the risks of wildfire due to illegal camping near Kensington. Amy Dyson, Judy Harrington and Mike Baldwin, all KFS board members, were interviewed. Watch the story.
- Where Do You Go for Wildfire Info?
MetroView, Jan 2025: Judy shares essential resources and expert insights on staying informed during wildfires, including recommended apps, official alerts, and emergency communication tips. - Been Hit Yet With Odd New Insurance Queries?MetroView, Nov 2024: Learn why Kensington isn’t a Firewise or Fire Risk Reduction Community and how it might impact homeowners’ insurance.
- Montezuma Fire: The Miracle of Only One Home Lost. What Happened and What’s Next
When the Montezuma Fire broke out on October 31, 2024, firefighters braced for devastation, expecting to lose 15 to 20 homes. Thanks to a rapid and massive response, only one home was destroyed, leaving residents eager to learn how this miracle happened and how to prepare for the next fire.