With the horrific and devastating fires happening in Los Angeles County, the City of Newport Beach would like to update our community on the City’s fire prevention, response and water system capabilities.
Mutual Aid
Newport Beach is part of the California Master Mutual Aid System, which provides a statewide framework to enable rapid and efficient sharing of firefighting resources during emergencies. Fire departments voluntarily participate under the California Disaster and Civil Defense Master Mutual Aid Agreement to provide personnel, equipment, and expertise. The system is coordinated through the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to offer scalable, organized, and collaborative responses to wildfires, earthquakes, and other large emergencies.
The NBFD and Newport Beach Police Department (NBPD) are currently providing mutual aid for the Los Angeles County fires. According to the Newport Bech Fire Department Facebook page, Newport Beach Fire Battalion 65 and Engine 65 from the Corona del Mar station have been deployed to the Palisades Fire currently burning in Los Angeles County.
Fire Prevention
In addition to fighting fires once they occur, the Newport Beach Fire Department (NBFD) plays a vital role in preventing fires. The department conducts inspections and provides educational outreach on an ongoing basis to reduce fire risks and increase community safety.
In Newport Coast communities, the NBFD inspects 24 homeowner associations covering 313 acres, and performs 266 hazard reduction inspections within designated hazard reduction zones.
NBFD staff engages the community and provides public education at events, homeowners association meetings, and individual home assessments. The Fire Prevention Division offers free mitigation assessments to homeowners, delivering tailored recommendations for home hardening, defensible space, and wildfire mitigation best practices.
The department provides resources and guidance to help communities achieve Firewise USA designation and supports individual homeowners in obtaining the Wildfire Prepared Home designation through the Institute for Business and Home Safety. Find out more at https://www.newportbeachca.gov/government/departments/fire/fire-prevention-division.
NBFD Vegetation Management.
The Orange County Fire Watch (https://ocparks.com/about-us/volunteer/orange-county-fire-watch) is a volunteer program operated by the Irvine Ranch Conservancy and deploys trained volunteers on Red Flag warning days to pre-determined locations throughout Orange County. The IRC deploys volunteers to four high-risk locations in Newport Beach, such as the Buck Gully Reserve.
In addition, fire personnel are “prepositioned” in fire-prone areas to detect fires quickly and allocate resources appropriately. Multiple Orange County fire agencies were prepositioned throughout high hazard areas this week. Also, through Alert California’s hundreds of cameras and sensors located in wildlands, fire officials can detect and respond to small fires before they grow.
Evacuations
Evacuations in Newport Beach are managed by the City’s Police and Fire departments, with each incident requiring a customized approach based on its unique circumstances and variables. To stay informed during emergencies, community members are strongly encouraged to register for the NBPD’s emergency notification system, Newport Notified, which delivers real-time updates and critical information. Sign up here: https://newportbeach.genasys.com/portal/en
The City has developed a detailed evacuation map, divided into zones, to support organized and efficient evacuations when necessary. Additionally, the Newport Beach Fire Department actively participates in the Ready, Set, Go! program, equipping homeowners and community members with essential tools and knowledge to prepare for evacuation in advance.
Water Systems
The City has an advanced, elaborate and redundant water system specifically designed and operated to provide water during emergency fire-fighting incidents. The City has multiple water sources and supplies, pipeline and pump redundancies, emergency power systems, and a massive reservoir. These systems are well maintained through regular investments and improvements.
Newport Beach has the largest potable water reservoir in Orange County, Big Canyon Reservoir, with as much as 200 million gallons of water available to fight fires. All City water pumps have an emergency backup pump system or a power generator system. In addition, every neighborhood has redundant pipeline pathways (at least two) to provide water.
The City’s systems can provide as much as 40,000 gallons a minute for firefighting capabilities, with another 45,000 gallons a minute of backup water available from Metropolitan Water District connections. Utilities Department staff is highly trained for fire scenarios, including operating backup systems and remotely controlling water facilities if necessary. The NBFD can also access Irvine Ranch Water District systems in an emergency.
How You Can Help
If you would like to support emergency operations and disaster recovery in Los Angeles, please contact the Newport Beach Fire Department Foundation at https://www.nbfdfoundation.org/.
