Fire season is just around the corner. With many prior years of record drought, the recordbreaking rains of 2017 and the continuing rains of this year, there is both dead and growing live vegetation all over the Fire District.
As the weather begins to warm and the rains begin to cease, the once live vegetation dries-out and dies, combining with the previous year’s dead vegetation to create especially dangerous fuel loads that contribute to larger wildland fires.
This is why the ECCFPD recommends that every homeowner have defensible space around their homes.
Per our friends at CalFire:
“Creating defensible space is essential to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. It’s the buffer you create between a building on your property and the grass, trees, shrubs, or any wildland area that surround it. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and it protects your home from catching fire—either from direct flame contact or radiant heat. Defensible space is also important for the protection of the firefighters defending your home.”
It may only be the start of April, but it is never too early to prepare for fire season in the State of California.
Not sure of what to do? The link below from our friends at the California Dept of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) provides tips and recommendations on how you can better prepare your property for the upcoming fire season.
http://www.readyforwildfire.org/Defensible-Space/
Not sure on what the requirements are? Follow this link to our website for a printable PDF of the ECCFPD’s “Minimum Weed Abatement Standards” ordinance.
https://eccfpd.specialdistrict.org/files/426ed4d76/2018+Minimum+Weed+Abatement+Standards. pdf
For all other questions please contact the East Contra Costa Fire Protection District at 634-3400 and we can assist you in helping make your home better prepared for the upcoming fire season.
