LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As California enters its fourth year of historic drought conditions, fire officials are reminding residents to create and maintain 100 feet or more of defensible space around their residences and outbuildings.
This reminder comes months earlier than normal.
“Now is a critical time to clear a large portion of the required defensible space around your home,” said Cal Fire Unit Chief Scott Upton.
“Remove brush and any dead material from within 100 feet or more while temperatures are cooler, when there is less chance of igniting a wildland fire in dry vegetation,” Upton said. “Please help us by doing your part to protect your property and increase safety for both the homeowners and firefighters.”
The intent of defensible space is to increase the survivability of a “building or structure” that resides in grass, brush, and forest covered lands in the State Responsibility Area.
Defensible space is required in the California Public Resource Code 4291 and local ordinances.
The following is a list of the regulations:
– Maintain 100 feet of defensible space around all structures of all dead or dying vegetation.
– Remove all leaves and pine needles from rain gutters or on top of roofs.
– Remove dead trees or shrub branches that overhang roofs, and below or adjacent to windows.
– Keep branches a minimum of 10 feet away from chimney and stovepipe outlets.
– Relocate firewood piles outside the 30 foot zone unless covered with a fire resistant material.
– All exposed wood piles must have a minimal clearance of 10 feet down to bare mineral soil in all directions.
– Remove all flammable vegetation or items that could catch fire from adjacent to or under combustible decks, balconies and stairs.
– Dead and dying woody surface and aerial fuels shall be removed within the 100 foot zone.
– Loose surface litter consisting of leaves, pine needles, and twigs shall be permitted to a maximum depth of 3 inches.
– Cut annual grass down to a maximum height of 4 inches.
– Liquid propane gas storage tanks shall have a minimum 10 foot clearance down to bare mineral soil and no flammable vegetation for an additional 10 feet.
For more fire information on preparing for wildfires and defensible space visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org .
Other fire prevention tips can be found at www.preventwildfireca.org .
Cal Fire urges homeowners to create defensible space now
- Lake County News reports
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