Not If, But When: Newly Designated Wildfire Temporary Refuge Buildings at the Lab

Wildfire is inevitable in the Berkeley Hills. The topography and weather conditions at the Lab’s hill site make it critical that everyone be aware and prepared.

One way the Lab is preparing is by reviewing the previously designated Safe Area For Emergencies (SAFE) buildings, where the entrances were marked with blue SAFE signs. Unfortunately, the acronym was unclear, and many people assumed safe meant safe for any emergency. New changes to the California building and fire codes made this a good time to reevaluate the selected buildings and change the signage to reflect them as temporary wildfire refuges.

Twelve of the Lab’s hill site buildings, two per zone, have been designated as Wildfire Temporary Refuge Buildings:

• Zone 1: B50 Complex, B59

• Zone 2: B55, B91

• Zone 3: B15, B30

• Zone 4: B76, B78

• Zone 5: B66, B67

• Zone 6: B74, B84

 These buildings have been selected because they are constructed of concrete and other noncombustible materials, making them more resilient to wildfire. 

Listen to the conversation as August Harless, hazards analyst, and Ian De Vries, fire engineer, from the Lab’s Security and Emergency Services Division discuss evacuating the Lab or directing people to wildfire refuge buildings if that is a better choice. Learn what you need to do to be prepared for a wildfire. 

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

RUNNING TIME: 11:44

What You Should Do

• Ready
  • Sign up for LabAlert
  • Know the location of the 12 Wildfire Temporary Refuge buildings
  • Prepare a go bag with items you would need if you had to leave the hill quickly, such as walking shoes, extra glasses, and personal items 

• Set
  • Listen for LabAlert updates
  • Have keys, wallet, phone, badge, and go bag ready to grab

• Go
  • Follow the instructions in any emergency messages or instructions from first responders. These may include evacuating the site, going to the closest wildfire temporary refuge building, or going to a refuge building in a different zone. 

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