Upland, CA — As communities across California grapple with intensifying natural disasters and infrastructure vulnerabilities, the City of Upland is taking steps to proactively reduce the impacts of future hazards through an updated Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP).
City officials have announced the launch of an update to the 2016 LHMP, a document designed to assess threats from both natural and human-caused hazards and outline strategies to minimize damage and loss before disasters strike.
The updated LHMP will serve as a roadmap for city departments, public safety officers and elected officials to better understand Upland’s vulnerabilities.
The plan also allows eligibility for millions in federal grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and potential state assistance once adopted by the City Council.
According to a 2019 report from the National Institute of Building Sciences, every dollar spent on mitigation saves an average of six dollars in disaster response and recovery.
With that in mind, Upland’s leaders are hoping this proactive approach will ease both the human and financial burden of future emergencies.
The plan is expected to address a wide range of hazards, including seismic threats like fault rupture and shaking, flooding from storm runoff and dam failures, and fires — both urban and wildland.
It will also consider infrastructure threats like power outages, drought and cyberattacks, as well as human-caused incidents such as hazardous materials releases or transportation-related disasters.
In a state where extreme heat and climate change are reshaping what disaster preparedness looks like, Upland is also making space to assess how climate shifts could amplify existing threats.
The updated LHMP will include four major sections: a summary of risks, including historical data and the likelihood of future disasters, a vulnerability assessment — focusing on critical infrastructure, emergency services and at-risk populations, a hazard mitigation strategy — laying out specific actions and policies to implement over the next five years and a maintenance plan to ensure the document stays current.
According to the city, the draft plan will be released for public comment in spring of this year, with final adoption targeted for the summer, pending state and federal approval timelines.
But Upland isn’t moving forward alone. Officials are urging residents to take an active role in shaping the plan.
The city will host District Community Meetings to present information and gather feedback. An online survey is also available for residents to share personal experiences with hazards and suggestions for improvements to the plan.
For many communities across California, particularly those with high Black and Brown populations who often bear the brunt of climate and infrastructure-related disasters, planning ahead can be a matter of equity and survival.
As disasters grow in frequency and cost, Upland’s renewed focus on hazard mitigation reflects a broader statewide push to build resilient, prepared communities before the next emergency strikes.
Residents interested in contributing to the LHMP or seeking more information can contact Tanya Garcia at tgarcia@uplandca.gov or (909) 291-2967.
