In the early hours of Feb. 10, David Horne awoke and instinctively knew something was wrong. As the sounds of emergency responders outside began to register, he could see flames along the Laguna coastline – alarmingly close to his home.

“At that point, I said, ‘uh-oh, this looks very close and scary’ and then the phones were ringing,” Horne said, referring to calls advising residents to evacuate.

Horne lived through the 1993 Laguna Beach Fire, which burned 14,000 acres and destroyed more than 400 homes, including his own. He knew how quickly a small brush fire could grow and the destruction it could cause. However, the Emerald Fire would not repeat the events of 1993, thanks in part to the consistent work of volunteers supported by a $14,500 grant from Edison International.

“The Laguna Beach Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority were able to dispatch the appropriate fire-suppression resources to quickly contain the Emerald Fire without damage to nearby homes,” said Troy Whitman, Southern California Edison fire management officer, who was at the scene as the Emerald Fire developed.

Nearly 30 years ago, following the most destructive firestorm in Orange County history, Horne pioneered volunteer preparedness and prevention efforts by forming the Greater Laguna Coast Fire Safe Council. Over the years, the volunteer group has educated homeowners about defensible space and conducted red flag patrols to monitor for suspicious and risky activities during weather events that could lead to extreme fire conditions.

One of the Fire Safe Council’s signature services is collecting vegetation samples that help inform the Santa Ana Wildfire Threat Index (SAWTI), a tool that categorizes the severity of Santa Ana wind events with respect to the likelihood of significant fires occurring. The index helps fire agencies more accurately forecast fire spread and severity across Southern California.

In 2021, an Edison International grant helped the Fire Safe Council buy new state-of-the-art equipment to test vegetation more efficiently. Twice each month, volunteers collect and test samples to identify their fuel moisture content and help determine the fire risk in the Orange County Coastal Weather Zone. The Emerald Fire was the first real test of the Fire Safe Council’s active mitigation. The effort paid off.

“There was nothing we could do during the incident itself,” said Horne. “However, it was because of the SAWTI that firefighters knew what was going to happen vegetation-wise and thus impacted their plan of attack to suppress the fire.”

Strong preparation coupled with ideal weather helped contain the fire before it reached neighborhoods. Additionally, first responders counted on support from the Laguna Beach Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), which collaborates closely with the Fire Safe Council. While fire crews concentrated on fighting the blaze, CERT volunteers worked with the city of Laguna Beach to help set up an evacuation shelter and were relieved of duty once adequate city staff members arrived on scene to take over shelter operations.

“We encourage our residents to talk to their neighbors, find out who needs help, who’s challenged and might need help in an emergency,” said Sonny Myers, CERT’s director. “We have to be able to work together as a team.”

The burn scar near Highway 1 and Emerald Bay now serves as a reminder of the constant threat of wildfire as well as the critical mitigation tools that can help prevent their most destructive effects.

“The Greater Laguna Coast Fire Safe Council delivers on their commitment to public safety, and we’re so very proud to be their partners in service,” said Armando de la Libertad, SCE government relations manager. “They not only serve as a hub of broader community collaboration but also work on wildfire risk mitigation year-round to make our communities more prepared for emergencies and ultimately more resilient.”

For more information on SCE's wildfire mitigation efforts, visit: energized.edison.com/wildfire-safety