Our Members and Board

Willow Creek Fire Safe Council

Officers of the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council (officers are all board members)

President: Barbara Darst
barbara

My husband and I have lived in Humboldt County since 1980 and in Willow Creek since 2001. We have three children, ten grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Both myself and husband are retired, I worked 34 years for the State of California and upon retiring moved to Willow Creek. My husband and I owned and operated D Arrow Cattle Company for over 20 years.

While employed for the State of California at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds I worked closely with USFS and the Red Cross when the fairgrounds was used as a emergency center and became aware of what wildfires could do.

Upon purchasing property in Willow Creek and with so much brush we immediately did a fuel reduction project on our property, this triggered interest in helping others with fuel reduction projects. My husband became a active member of the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council in April 2007. I now serve on the Board of Directors and hold the position of President.

Vice President: Pat O'Hara
pat

Joe and Pat O’Hara moved to Willow Creek in 2007 from Sonoma County. Pat is a retired school bus driver and Joe retired from a job at the City of Santa Rosa.
Joe and Pat joined the fire Safe Council shortly after purchasing their property in Willow Creek. They have three children. Joe’s hobbies include animal husbandry and photography.
Pat is an artist who enjoys painting, working with clay and gardening.

Secretary: Laurel Reimann (NOT PICTURED)

Treasurer: Susan Abbott
susan

My husband and I have lived in the Klamath-Trinity area since 1967 and in Willow Creek since 1976, We raised our children here and are now retired.
We have both been active in the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council since April 2007.

For the first 30 years I lived here I was aware of wildfire, having observed several. My husband fought fire locally for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Hupa Tribe. It took the 1999 Megram Fire to jolt me into the reality of immediate risk of losing my home. I watched the Megram Fire advance within one ridge of my house. The Sheriff's Department advised my neighborhood to stand by to evacuate. I realized I could make my home and community safer by supporting a fire safe council in the Willow Creek area. Communities can be made defensible through the coordinated efforts of residents and public and private agencies. We're on our way. Come see what the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council is doing.

Members of the Board of Directors

Joe O'Hara
joe

I have lived and worked in the Humboldt-Trinity county area since 1974. My wife and I moved to Burnt Ranch in 1978 and to Willow Creek in 1986, where we raised four children who all graduated from local schools. I retired from the U. S. Forest Service, Shasta-Trinity National Forest in 2006 after 33 years in wildland fire fighting. My family has endured numerous smoky summers caused by wild fires which in many cases, I was on the fireline at the time. Like Sue Abbott, the 1999 Megram Fire brought home the intense understanding that our neighborhood in Willow Creek could go up in smoke and my wife and family would be there alone to deal with it. I was a member of the W. C. Volunteer Fire Dept. for 17 years, and in 2007 I joined the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council to help the greater Willow Creek community become aware of the potentially catastrophic situations that exist in the adjoining public forests. I have fought major campaign fires since 1977 (Hog Fire-- Orleans and east to Salmon River country) to the 2009 Backbone Fire on the Lower Trinity Ranger District as an Administrative Directive employee

Guy Conversano

Other Active Members

Paul Abbott
Paul

Paul is a retired forester who has been active with the WCFSC since April 2007 and has served as treasurer and board member. This Picture was taken in the Marble Mountains in 2009 in an area that was burned in 2008.

Don Darst

My wife and I have lived in Humboldt County since 1980 and in Willow Creek since 2001. We have three children, ten grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Both myself and my wife are retired. I worked for 32 years in the paper and pulp mill industry, starting with Crown Zellerbach, papermill in Antioch, CA; transferred to the Crown Simpson Pulp Mill in Eureka, which changed to Simpson Pulp Mill. Upon retiring moved to Willow Creek. My wife and I owned and operated D Arrow Cattle Company for over 20 years.

While ranching in Humboldt County and surrounded my forest, I became aware of the danger of wildland fires, which was a continual concern to our cattle operation. Upon purchasing property in Willow Creek and with so much brush we immediately did a fuel reduction project on our property, this triggered interest in the Willow Creek Fire Safe Council and assisting with fuel reduction project in our community. Both my wife and I became an active member in April 2007. I am now Chipper Chairman and help with all fuel reduction projects.

Where is my picture?
We hope to get more pictures up soon (don't feel left out)
New to this site or the FSC? Attend a meeting and get more involved!

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