Author: Amy Dyson

A fire broke out in the canyon on Alder Drive near Hart Drive on Sunday, September 8, 2024, around noon. Thankfully, no one was injured, and no structures were damaged.

With temperatures soaring to 103 degrees in Kensington that day, conditions were ripe for a fire. The response was swift, with four fire trucks and five police cars arriving at the scene. A fire helicopter circled overhead, though it did not make a water drop.

Firefighters quickly tapped into the hydrant at the corner of Argos and Hart Drive, pumping water into the canyon and extinguishing the blaze within hours. A woodpile, along with a patch of grass and shrubs down the canyon slope, were charred, but that seems to be the extent of the damage.

A few neighbors were evacuated as a precaution but were allowed to stay nearby to observe the situation.

Judy Harrington, co-chair of Kensington Fire Safe, spoke with one of the firefighters the following day. They suspect the fire was caused by an overheated electrical wire due to high demand with everyone having their air conditioning on. Same for another fire that started shortly thereafter near N Kensington. There were no indications of homeless encampments in the Alder canyon area.

A representative from Sean Elo-Rivera’s office reached out to Kensington Fire Safe the next day, offering assistance if needed.

We hope this close call inspires Kensington residents to clear flammable brush from their yards and canyon areas during the upcoming Dumpathon. With fires on the rise, reducing potential fuel is essential to keeping our neighborhood safe.

On October 9, 2023, NBC’s local news aired this story about how Kensington is preparing for a possible wildfire. The story features our own Kensington Fire Safe co-chair Judy Harrington. Watch the story here.

The story is simple. We provide the dumpsters, you provide the fire fuel in the form of your canyon and yard trimmings. We haul away over 15 tons of potentially flammable green waste and that makes Kensington safer from wildfire. When all the work is done we come together as a community to celebrate our achievement. The Fall 2023 Dumpathon marked yet another success!

A huge round of applause for our 15 dedicated dumpster-minders, the unsung heroes who graciously allowed us to place a dumpster in front of their homes for ten days. While we weren’t able to capture a photo of everyone, we extend heartfelt gratitude to all the volunteers. Here’s a glimpse of some of our remarkable individuals:

After hauling away over 15 tons of fire fuel from our neighborhood, we deserved a celebration! Terri Mathes, a board member, opened her doors to our community, inviting us to celebrate our accomplishment at her and her husband Jim and wonderful dog Hawkeye’s charming residence.

Guest were warmly greeted by board member Ryan Hunter and his husband J.B.

The celebration was graced with a fantastic array laid out by the Kensington Fire Safe board. The tantalizing spread was a sight to behold.

“And the Oscar goes to…” Each dumpster-minder was presented an “Oscar” as a token of appreciation for their exceptional service to the community, accompanied by a bottle of wine, graciously donated by the KFS board.

The highlight of the event was the arrival of our esteemed guests, the members of Fire Station 18. Their presence was an acknowledgment of our collective commitment to fire safety. They offered their heartfelt thanks before they were urgently called away.

With renewed spirits, guests enjoyed the remainder of the gathering, fostering a sense of camaraderie and community spirit that resonated throughout the celebration.

The Fall 2023 Dumpathon was more than just a cleanup; it was a testament to unity, shared responsibility, and the significance of coming together as a community for a safer future.

Funding for the Dumpathon is provided by The San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, SDG&E, The San Diego River Conservancy and Kensington residents.

The Kensington Memorial Day Parade was a roaring success! We were Entry #3 right behind “our” Fire Station 18 fire truck. “Our Firefighters” say howdy and thanks to all!

 Although the photos don’t show the very large crowds that were just a couple of blocks south of Ridgeway on Marlborough Drive, thanks to my amazing early teen “helpers,” Aliana and Nikki, we gave out 98 beautiful Dumpathon flyers to very interested onlookers in just 5 blocks. 

Dozens and dozens of onlookers cheered us on, and I shouted out our website to many parade onlookers.

We may have been the “smallest” entry in the Parade but we certainly were a wee hit!

-Vicki Pinkus, Vice President, KFS Board of Directors

This short video shows how screens can be placed in the spaces under tile roofs to keep out burning embers and protect your home from wildfire.

Please note, 1/8″ screening is recommended, but if you can’t find it, here’s how to protect your home using 1/4″:

In the video the handyman uses TWO 1/4″ screens placed on top of each other at an angle. 1/4″ is a bit too large to block out the embers, but if you use two layers of quarter inch offset from one another you can form a tighter barrier and you’ll be ok.

If you use 1/8″ screen material you should only need one layer.