Brent Blackaby

This important wildfire preparedness legislation will help homeowners here in Berkeley and across California take the steps they need to harden their homes and create defensible space, including Zone Zero. I’m proud to support it.

Thanks also to Megafire Action leaders Matt Weiner and Eric Horne for organizing the press conference and film screening about the LA fires, and for all your wildfire policy support.

Their bills will offer direct financial support for home hardening, support wildfire county coordinators, increase the pace of beneficial fire & controlled burns, and develop new technology to address the wildfire threat.

It’s critical to empower homeowners to act at scale to improve resiliency.

Appreciated the opportunity to support Senators @joshbecker.bsky.social & @benallenca.bsky.social and Assemblymembers Damon Connolly, Chris Rogers, and Steve Bennett in Sacramento as they introduced their wildfire prevention bill package.

If we can close the insurance loop, and make sure that property owners that do vegetation management & home hardening get credit for it with lower premiums, we can significantly boost wildfire mitigation efforts across the state. #ember #wildfire #bfd #berkeleyfiredepartment

Really enjoyed participating in this week’s Urban Land Institute panel on wildfire risk & insurability, where I talked about Berkeley’s EMBER program. Thanks to Holly Neber, Edward McFarlan, Wahib Ghazni, and former CA Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones for the great discussion.

Frozen yogurt at Menchie’s on the northside of campus is always a hit in our household!

Our home is one of 900 here in the Berkeley Hills that needs to comply with new Zone Zero rules, creating 5 feet of noncombustible space along the perimeter to improve fire resiliency.

It’s not going to be easy. But if we each do our part individually, then collectively we will meet the moment.

One Step at a Time: Our Family’s Path to EMBER Compliance Last June, the Berkeley City Council unanimously passed our EMBER ordinance, a fact-based proposal from the Fire Department that asks ~900 households located in the highest wildfire danger zone along ...

It’s not enough to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk too — especially when it comes to wildfire safety in Berkeley.

I’m documenting our family’s step-by-step path to EMBER compliance to share our progress. Hope you’ll follow along and share your tips too!

open.substack.com/pub/brentbla...

Helping Berkeley homeowners keep their insurance at better rates is a top priority. Thanks to CA Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Soller & wildfire insurance broker Andrew Engler for meeting with BFD Asst Chief Dave Winnacker & me to talk about how our EMBER ordinance can make us more insurable

Text of our resolution here:

berkeleyca.gov/sites/defaul...

Love to hear what you’re seeing and doing too!

As a Sanctuary City, Berkeley speaks with one voice. My City Council colleagues and I unanimously passed our resolution.

We all know we must continue to do more to stand up to the injustice of the Trump Administration, every day. But this was one way we could make our voices heard and fight back.

Berkeley reacts to ICE and Border Patrol shootings in Minneapolis The Berkeley City Council passed a resolution that calls for abolishing ICE and ending aggressive enforcement operations.

This week, I authored a resolution alongside @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social, CM @cecilialunaparra.bsky.social and CM Terry Taplin condemning Operation Metro Surge, calling for the abolishment of ICE, and showing solidarity with peaceful protesters in Minneapolis.

www.berkeleyside.org/2026/01/28/b...

My son Dashiell and I enjoyed joining @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social, Superintendent Ford Morthel, and CM @igortregub.bsky.social staff to visit with the Berkeley High Robotics Team — Berkelium 5419. Thanks for the behind-the-scenes tour, and good luck in your next competition kicking off this week!

Happy New Year from Tokyo!

As seen in Nga Trang, Vietnam yesterday. Next door neighbors. Very on brand.

I’m proud to stand with the Jewish community here in Berkeley, across the country, and around the world — against antisemitism, intolerance, and violence and for more love, compassion, and understanding across differences. Chag Sameach!

Honored to join Chabad Berkeley, Itamar Landau, Councilmember @igortregub.bsky.social, and so many others at the 4th Street menorah lighting last night.

Thanks @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social for this D6-appropriate Christmas gift. Happy Holidays!

Thanks to all the veterans who served to defend our country and keep us safe — especially my dad, Earl, who commanded a Titan II missile in the US Air Force. Happy Veterans Day!

Thanks @mayoradenaishii.bsky.social for co-hosting office hours with me in North Berkeley! Enjoyed chatting with you and our constituents about their ideas and concerns.

Really enjoyed the discussion about wildfire safety, immigrant rights, Euclid Ave improvements, tenant rights, scooters, and more. Thanks for dinner, and we look forward to visiting again soon!

Thanks to the Berkeley Student Cooperative for hosting @cecilialunaparra.bsky.social and me last night for a “Meet Your Councilmembers” event at Cloyne Court.

We’ve made a lot of progress over the past year on fire safety — and together I know we’ll do even more in the months and years ahead.

I enjoyed joining @jessearreguin.bsky.social @sup-nikkifbas.bsky.social CM Shoshana O'Keefe, fmr CM Susan Wengraf, BFSC President Henry DeNero, Asst Fire Chief Colin Arnold, Richmond CM Soheila Bana, and many other friends & neighbors for this wonderful annual occasion.

Congrats to the Berkeley FireSafe Council for hosting another successful neighborhood potluck yesterday!

Thanks to Dan for hosting your Scenic Ave neighbors and me last night, for a lively discussion about housing, fire safety, downtown revitalization, and other issues facing Berkeley. Look forward to continuing the conversation over the weeks and months ahead!

My team and I enjoyed our walk with Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe and Bob & Emma from the Berkeley Path Wanderers to discuss plans to upgrade Keeler Path near Remillard Park. Thanks for the tour! (And thanks to Shoshana’s mom for the cookies!)

Thanks to all of the constituents that joined my team and me for our September office hours, held at the Berkeley Rose Garden! It was great to catch up with so many neighbors to hear what’s on their mind and learn more about how we can help. Look forward to the next one!

Enjoyed joining Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe at Berkeley’s first Sun Day today. Congrats to @kerabinns.bsky.social and the planning team on a wonderful event celebrating clean energy and climate action!