Stumbled on this article - I was wondering about planting succulents around the base of some exterior walls. I was wondering more about moisture conduction to the foundation, but then found this - https://debraleebaldwin.com/top-five-firewise-succulents/. There are two videos at the bottom of the article - one is with her grandson testing the flammablility of various succulents vs cut stems of oak, etc. The second video is about a woman's home that survived the Lilac Fire (2017) by surrounding her property with succulents. It's pretty impressive. I don't know which way the fire was burning, but she is definitely on a slope and the house below her was completely destroyed.

Many busy bodies in the community today! A continued monumental effort of roadside fuel reduction. I would wager that our dedicated crew rival the landscaping crew the County hired last year - and they are getting it done much earlier. Looks fantastic! The Water Board (no, really, the Board itself) spent many hours today staring over the hole they made next to the Archway, planning for the upgrade - removing dead line, repairing an old temporary patch, and installing a much needed shut off valve. Please prepare ahead for a temporary water shut off Monday from 9am to approximately 1pm. Please keep water usage at an utmost minimum during that time to prevent the lines filling up with air (which can do a lot of damage and introduce sediment into your home water lines). And finally, two roadway safety mirrors were installed today, replacing ones that had been badly damaged, or outright removed. The dedicated cyclist group "Tuesday Night View Crew" raised $1,600 in 48 hours for the cause. Four mirrors were purchased - two to install, two for replacement as needed. The balance, nearly $1,000 was donated to the Mountain Ember Team! We are so thankful for this collaboration and community support. We are having a hot dog party (vegan included) at the 'Y' (Painted Cave and ECC) this Tuesday, August 6 at 6pm. Please join us and meet your mountain road neighbors! Let Nic or I know if you plan to attend, so we have plenty of food for all - or just show up to say 'Hi!'. Any side dish is welcome! A fine evening to you all - Jessica (Sorry about the picture quality)

This is, hands down, the most accurate information on rattlesnakes that I've seen , and can attest to much of it. Take a moment to learn about your neighbors. https://californiaherps.com/info/rattlesnakeinfo.html