Posted on 11/02/2007 8:50:57 AM PDT by george76
District Ranger Rick Newton shared his recent experience in Southern California ...
The wildfires in Southern California demonstrated how effective defensible space, building restrictions that require less flammable materials...said U.S. Forest Service Dillon District Ranger Rick Newton.
Currently, the Forest Service has hired contractors who are working to create defensible space by removing trees ...
The same is planned for other areas throughout the county, projects which will happen next year.
However, the work is costly because of the lack of bulk diesel fuel in the area, the poor market for the trees, hauling and other challenges ...
As another option for mitigation, Newton is looking to the possibility of prescribed fires in areas that are less accessible.
In California, access is easy. The equipment can get where it needs to be through the extensive road system. Here that is not the case, Newton said.
In addition, people still use trees by their homes to screen neighbors and maintain the mountain atmosphere, behavior contrary to being fire safe.
Newton recently returned from a week of fighting the Ranch Fire that burned 58,401 acres in Ventura County.
(Excerpt) Read more at summitdaily.com ...
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One of our kids lives in the mountains and so much of it is common sense. You can’t have ladder fuels coming right up to your doorstep. Also, you definitely need the most fire-resistant roofing materials. Many of the homes that burnt down could have been saved had the owners used some personal responsibility ahead of time.
Welcome to FR.
There is much that an individual can do before the fire season to help fire fighters during the fire season.
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