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tornadoes have been reported in San Mateo County since 1950, although none occurred in or near the <br />City. <br />All forms of severe weather are expected to continue in the City, particularly extreme heat. Due to climate <br />change, the number of extreme heat days in the City is expected to rise from an average of four annually <br />to 11-22 annually by the end of the century. High wind events are also projected to occur regularly in the <br />City, although it is not yet clear how these incidents may be affected by climate change. Tornadoes will <br />likely continue to occur in San Mateo County in rare instances. <br />2.2.8 WILDLAND AND URBAN FIRES <br />In the City, fires may occur in the wildland urban interface (WUI) areas of the community with few large <br />fires in the developed urban core (urban fires). Fires of any sort are highly dangerous, and often cause <br />property damage, injury, and in some cases death. WUI fires are generally larger and more damaging, <br />although urban fires may still cause significant impacts before they are extinguished. Beyond direct <br />damage from the flames, smoke and air pollution from fires can cause respiratory illnesses, particularly <br />for senior citizens, children, and other vulnerable persons. Fires can block transportation routes, causing <br />congestion, and may cause utility outages by damaging associated infrastructure. <br />In the City, the southern parts of the community near the Emerald Hills area are within a CAL FIRE <br />designated "Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone" This area includes approximately six percent of the City's <br />residents, and property values within this zone are estimated at approximately $1.6 billion. The risk for <br />urban fires is generally the same throughout the community. Fires may be sparked accidentally by a <br />number of sources, including lightning, vehicle crashes, accidental sparks from power tools, electrical <br />faults, unattended fires or flame sources, or may be set deliberately (arson). <br />State records identify nine wildfires that have occurred in San Mateo County. None have occurred in the <br />City, although there are records of a wildfire that burned approximately 1,330 acres in nearby Portola <br />Valley. Urban fires occur regularly in the community and are usually small-scale events, although more <br />substantive ones have happened on occasion. Both wildland and urban fires are expected to occur in the <br />City in the future. Urban fires will likely occur at similar rates, although improvements in building materials <br />and other innovations may reduce the frequency of these events or cause them to be less damaging. <br />Climate change is expected to increase the amount of land burned by wildfires throughout California. Near <br />the City, the WUI areas between Pacifica, Hillsborough, and Half Moon Bay are expected to see the most <br />significant increases <br />2.2.9 CIVIL UNREST <br />Civil unrest refers to unlawful and sometimes violent acts carried out by groups of people with the <br />intention of creating a public disturbance. It can take several forms, but may include rioting, unlawful <br />protests, and similar disruptive behavior. It does not include peaceful and law-abiding protests. Civil unrest <br />may be a response to government policy, legal decisions, or corporate actions, among others. At times, <br />civil disturbance has a relatively minor impact, and may only cause small-scale inconveniences at specific <br />14 <br />