WUI-GO! EVACUATION PLANNING TOOL

Message from Our BOVIA President

Near Neighbors and Friends: 
 
Thank you to all who were able to attend the WUI-Go! Evacuation Presentation for Bay-O-Vista on June 27th.  We had a large group show up (approximately 60+ people) including elected city, County and State officials, as well as first responders, including our Fire Chief Bowie.  
 
The presentation by WUI-Go! of their scientific findings was excellent and demonstrated how important it is to the safety of our entire Bay-O-Vista community to get Lake Chabot Road open as soon as possible.  
 
A reporter from our San Leandro Times attended the meeting and wrote a front page article in last Thursday’s paper (see below).  The headline reads:  Study:  Wildfire Evacuation to Take Over an Hour – Study finds Lake Chabot Road closure significantly lengthens time to evacuate Bay-O-Vista.  If you haven’t seen it, please read it by clicking the link:  https://0201.nccdn.net/1_2/000/000/12e/2ae/july-9–2026-1.pd
 
We continue to ask the City to conduct the necessary geotechnical studies to determine the condition of the Road and to get accurate construction costs for fixing and opening the road to two-way traffic. 
 
We will be seeking money to pay for the remaining Road repairs from County, State and Federal funding sources, as well as asking the City to apply for grants.  With this study, we can show how critical it is for our public safety to get the Road open.  
 
We may be asking you to attend important meetings to make our voices heard to those who can help us get Lake Chabot Road open.  Our lives depend on it! 
 
Thank you all for your loyalty and support!
 
Sincerely, 
 
Kat Wellman 

San Leandro Times wrote an excellent article summarizing the June 27th Community Safety Presentation Meeting – Can Bay-O-Vista Residents Evacuate Safely During a Wildfire?  WUI-Go! Time Evacuation Study.  The meeting was hosted by Supervisor Lena Tam and Mayor Juan Gonzalez, sponsored by the Bay-O-Vista Improvement Association, and was held at the San Leandro Public Library.  

Recent national wildfire data show that communities with limited evacuation routes account for the majority of wildfire fatalities. This concern is especially relevant to Bay-O-Vista, where evacuation challenges have been compounded by the closure of Lake Chabot Road.  WUI-Go!, a UC Berkeley offshoot, conducted a Timed Evacuation Study of Bay-O-Vista in San Leandro to evaluate emergency evacuation challenges and identify opportunities to improve preparedness and public safety. For more information, go to wui-go.com.

Click HERE to read the article and learn about key points of the Study’s findings and the accompanying discussion that occurred.

After almost six months of planning, research, design and development, the first stage of the commissioned WUI-Go! Evacuation Study has been completed.  We thank those residents who generously donated over $27,000 to make this possible, recognizing the significant benefit this Tool provides to our overall community, and the leadership provided by the BOVIA Board to make this happen.

Several presentations (Zoom and in-person) have been conducted to help educate residents on the WUI-GO! developers, the Tool and the criticality for Bay-O-Vista residents.  In mid-February, an enclosure with QR Codes (in three different languages to accommodate as many of our Bay-O-Vista residences as possible) was mailed to all Bay-O-Vista residents along with our annual 2026 Membership Dues letter. 

The WUI-Go! Evacuation Tool is an individualized, interactive planning tool to help you prepare for an emergency evacuation due to wildfire. It is the most important safety tool we are offering every Bay-O-Vista resident at no-cost.  The BOVIA Board believes our overall safety is paramount given the topography of Bay-O-Vista with limited exit routes, and our high fire risk danger due to adjacent regional parks.

To access the WUI-Go! Evacuation Planning Tool available in three languages, simply:

  • Click on Link below or the QR Code in the enclosure.
  • Insert your Home Address and press “enter.”
  • Listen to the Podcast that has been individualized for your specific location.
  • Take the Next Steps outlined in the Tool.
    • Sign up for all the alerts (these are critical!)
    • Practice and become familiar with the evacuation routes indicated.
    • Discuss this with your neighbors, especially those that might need assistance in an evacuation emergency.
    • Prepare “To Go Bags”
  • Be sure to read the FAQs to get more helpful information.

By taking these steps, you will be better prepared for an emergency evacuation.

To download a copy of the WUI-Go! Evacuation Flyer shown below including the URL link, QR Code and instruction in English, Spanish and Mandarin, please click HERE.

WUI-Go! Evacuation Flyer – For Your Personal Wildfire Evacuation Plan

ENGLISH

SPANISH

MANDARIN

Safe Evacuation for All
We have a number of disabled and elderly residents living in Bay-O-Vista, as well as young families that may need additional help in an evacuation.   In addition, there are residents that do not have smart phones on which to receive warnings.  We need to identify neighbors who will need help in an evacuation and have a plan in place to assist them.  We also want the City to conduct an evacuation fire drill for our community, so that we can determine how we can safely evacuate from Bay-O-Vista if needed. If you or your neighbors will need assistance during an evacuation, please email katwellman54@gmail.com (subject line Evacuation Assistance) with names, addresses and phone numbers. 

Disaster Preparedness Information and Guidance
Recently, Alameda County and partner jurisdictions have worked together to update emergency notification procedures, improve message templates, integrate current technologies, and incorporate lessons learned and best practices from recent disasters throughout California and the nation.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility. As local governments continue to strengthen emergency readiness capabilities, residents are encouraged to take time to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies by:

  • Making an emergency plan
  • Building or updating an emergency supply kit
  • Reviewing evacuation routes and emergency contacts
  • Going to ACAlert.org to sign up for emergency notifications

For disaster preparedness information and guidance, please visit:  https://www.ready.gov/plan and also Get Connected – Emergency Preparedness – Alameda County

Wildfire Evacuation:  Make It Downhill Alive
Here’s an interesting YouTube video produced by the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority entitled “Wildfire Evacuation:  Make It Downhill Alive”.  It’s an 11-minute video that gives great recommendations when living in a hilly terrain and trying to evacuate during a wildfire.  Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91hgUjhmSIE to access the video.