About the Southern California Fire Management Zone

The Southern California Fire Management Zone is headquartered out of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Jamul, California. The Zone provides fire management services to the Blue Ridge, Bitter Creek, Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes, Hopper Mountain, Seal Beach, Coachella Valley, Sonny Bono Salton Sea, San Diego Bay, San Diego and Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuges.

The Zone supports interagency fire suppression and fuels management efforts in southern California. Interagency partners include San Diego Rural Fire Protection District, The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County, the San Diego Forest Area Safety Taskforce and Border Agency Fire Council. Many of the fire staff participate on Type I and Type II interagency incident management teams assisting with wildfire efforts throughout the state and country.

On average the Zone treats between 1,600 and 2,500 acres per year on refuge and adjacent lands for community protection, hazardous fuels reduction and habitat enhancement. The majority of treatments emphasize mechanical, chemical and biological treatments including the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District's Community Chipper program which is funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fire program. The chipper program treats up to 2,000 acres per year around homes in the wildland-urban interface.

Over the years, the Zone has experienced a number of large wildfires that have burned many acres on the San Diego and Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuges. A number of burned area emergency stabilization and rehabilitation projects have been implemented to help restore and enhance threatened and endangered species habitats.

How to Contact Us

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 746
Jamul, CA 91935

Phone: 619-468-9245,
Fax: 619-468-9249

Bill Molumby, Zone Fire Management Officer
619-468-9245 ext. 221
Bill_Molumby@fws.gov

Larry Wade, Zone Assistant Fire Management Officer
619-468-9245 ext. 229
Larry_J_Wade@fws.gov

James Roberts, Zone Wildland-Urban Interface Coordinator
619-468-9245 ext. 228
James_Roberts@fws.gov

Making a Difference in Fire Leadership

San Diego NWRC Fire Website

Fire Photos

Coming Soon

Fire Videos

Google Map fire project tours

Google Earth fire project tour (kml)

Zone refuge property boundaries (kml)

Harris Fire Burns San Diego NWR October 2007

Protecting Habitat & Homes

Visit individual refuge and field office websites located within the Zone by clicking on icons listed on the map.