A wet winter and early dry spring have set the stage for a potentially devastating fire season, according to local fire departments.
For the first time in many years, proper clearance of brush and flammable debris from around homes may make all the difference between returning to an intact residence or a pile of cinders, according to a press release from the La Honda Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Usually, the fire season doesn’t get into full swing until October, but Mother Nature has gotten an early jump-start with a wet winter that has created abundant plant growth, and a dry spring now turning plants into fuel for fires, according to Laurie McLean, spokesperson for the South Coast Community Emergency Response Team.
With the annexation of more than 40 miles of coastal and mountain areas to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, fire districts are bracing for an increase of visitors and increased potential for wildfires in mountain forests and grasslands. Fire chiefs caution homeowners and visitors to exercise extra vigilance.
“Residents of rural and mountain communities should start clearing brush, trimming back trees and bushes and make sure their fire suppression tools are ready to go. It’s a responsibility that every homeowner and open space visitor should take seriously,” noted Larry Whitney, La Honda Volunteer Fire Brigade’s chief in a press release.
The brigade will sponsor a Wildfire Awareness Day on May 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at post offices in La Honda, Pescadero, Loma Mar and San Gregorio. These areas routinely receive many visitors from Palo Alto, and Whitney is encouraging members of the community to attend the event.
Palo Alto homeowners can also take home valuable ideas to protect their property at the awareness day, he said.
The Santa Clara County Fire Chiefs will also sponsor a county-wide program in the near future to raise awareness of fire dangers, said Palo Alto Fire Chief Ruben Grijalva.
Department personnel will conduct individual inspections of homes in the hills prior to mid-June, when the fire season begins, he said. His department protects 10 square miles of open space and wildlands.
Grijalva recommends residents maintain a 30-foot “greenbelt” around homes, and limb trees that overhang roofs.
More information on protecting homes from wildland fire can be found at the National Interagency Fire Center Web site at www.nifc.gov/preved/protecthome.html.
In Palo Alto, call 329-2184 for brochures on fire prevention. For information about Wildfire Awareness Day, call 747-0381.