Officials urge residents to be prepared this summer
Published in the April 29 – May 12, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Jennifer Ponce and Dwight Good
Jennifer Ponce
Wildland fire danger challenges Morgan Hill residents every year, but with a drought the threat is exceptionally high. Traditional static water sources such as local ponds, reservoirs and lakes are disappearing, making it more difficult for firefighters to combat a large blaze. Many water systems (not municipal) have been shut down. Homeowners with private wells and required on-site firefighting water storage tanks are finding it difficult to maintain those systems and water supplies.
The threat of fire is a reality, especially during summer. Six of the 25 largest recorded fire losses in U.S. history were wildland fires that occurred in California within the past 20 years; the 1991 Tunnel Fire in Oakland tops that list. It killed 25 people and injured 150 others, destroying 2,843 homes and 437 apartments.
As California enters the fourth year of a severe state-wide drought, local fire officials warn that a similar conflagration could happen here. They have taken many precautions to prevent such an occurrence, but there are many things residents and property owners can do to protect themselves.
Dwight Good
CAL FIRE (Santa Clara Unit) has already hired 100 seasonal firefighters to staff 12 of their wildland fire engines. Three more of their engines will be staffed by mid-May, bringing SCU to full force about the time the hiring process would normally begin.
These firefighters will join a team of Defensible Space Inspectors in the door-to-door process of evaluating properties in unincorporated areas. CALFIRE representatives will work with residents and property owners to identify steps necessary to ensure their homes survive a wildland fire. Within Morgan Hill, the fire marshal will be joined by Santa Clara County Weed Abatement officers to help prepare the community for fire season.
Creating defensible space is essential to improve a home’s chance of surviving a wildfire. It’s the buffer created between a building and the grass, trees, shrubs or any wildland area that surrounds it. This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and protects a home from catching fire. Defensible space is also important for the protection of responding firefighters.
To create or improve defensible space, start at the top and work down: Remove leaves and pine needles from the roof and gutters. Trim tree branches 10 feet from the chimney. Make sure the spark arrestor is in place and in good condition. Remove all dead limbs and branches from trees.
On the ground, start with the first three feet just outside the home and work outward from there until there is 30 feet of clean, green space (or up to the property line). Remove all dead plants, grass, and weeds. Remove leaves, pine needles, twigs and branches. Move wood piles at least 30 feet from buildings. Remove or prune flammable plants and shrubs near windows and vegetation items that could catch fire from under decks.
For the next 70 feet (or to the property line) work on reducing the fuel loads: Cut or mow annual grass down to a maximum height of four inches. Create horizontal spacing between trees and shrubs. Create vertical spacing between grass, shrubs and trees. Remove fallen leaves, needles, twigs, bark, cones and small branches.
Roads and driveways are important. Makes sure vehicles can pass quickly in the event of a fire. Roads make good firebreaks, so make sure trees and plants along driveways and roadways do not encroach on the road width. Fire engines need a clear path at least 12 feet wide and 13.5 feet high. Finally, make sure your address is posted clearly to prevent delays in an emergency. Free comprehensive emergency preparedness courses are presented the first Monday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. Register at www.mhcert.com.
In the event of an emergency, residents may be notified of evacuation orders by the city of Morgan Hill’s emergency alerting system. Please register your landline or cell phone at www.alertssc.com.
We may be lucky and emerge unscathed from the dangerous conditions this year, but we cannot count on always being so fortunate. And, of course, we will continue to face the danger of earthquakes and floods. For more information on preparation for emergencies visit www.readyforwildfire.org.
Jennifer Ponce is the emergency services coordinator for the Office of Emergency Services for Morgan Hill. Dwight Good is Morgan Hill’s fire marshal.
