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Crime & Safety

Firefighters Ask San Ramon, Danville to Prepare for Fire Season

Trimming dead grass and brush is one way to stave off a potential wildfire, according to the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District.

The wetter, longer-than-usual rainy season this year is no reason to keep wildfires off the radar.

On the contrary, extra moisture means more plant growth. Aand taller, thicker grasses fuel wildfires if they aren't cut. The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District stresses that it is not a question of "if" but "when" the next major fire will spark in the area.

Late rains may have slightly delayed this year's fire season, which typically spans  May through October, according to fire district spokeswoman Natalie Kurtz.

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Regardless, the district has moved forward with what it calls "exterior hazard abatement enforcement," basically a push to get rural property owners to trim their trees, grasses and other shrubbery before they feed a fire. The campaign — dubbed "Ready, Set, Go!" – breaks wildfire preparedness into three easy steps.

Being "ready" means trimming back plants and trees to a manageable length, packing an emergency kit and planning evacuation routes. "Set" refers to closing all doors and windows, clustering flammable items in the center of a room and loading the kit into the car. "Go" means obeying evacuation orders and leaving early.

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"It's a friendlier guide that has pictures so that people can really see what it looks like to have 100 feet of defensible space around their structures," said Joyce Castro, a fire prevention specialist. "It also talks about what a wildland is and what a wildfire is."

The public safety literature was distributed two months before the June 1 weed-trimming deadline to about 3,000 households that lie in parts of the district especially prone to wildfires. That includes most properties west of North Canyon, east of Windemere and along Alcosta Boulevard.

The international campaign stresses preparedness as tantamount to surviving a wildland fire, said Fire Marshall Christina Jamison. Having fire-resistant roofs and non-combustible siding in homes are just a couple of examples of long-term readiness.

"We're all sending the same message that fire knows no boundaries and that people need to be prepared before there is a fire," Jamison said.

Fire inspectors, including Julie Bartusch, have been out in the field making sure residents have kept their yards up to code in terms of plant growth and are handing out warnings to those who have not complied.

"One of the concerns is regrowth, so people are just going to have to pay attention and keep dry brush or native grasses below three inches," Bartusch said. "When summer comes you really want to be proactive."

The most recent vegetation fires ignited in mid-May in San Ramon on Iron Horse Trail at Alcosta Boulevard and at several spots along the trail on June 3, and in Danville along the trail just days ago, according to Castro.

Free "Ready, Set, Go!" classes in April and May were canceled because of small enrollment numbers, Castro said. So the district is trying to spread the word in other ways.

"We just need to get it out there," said Castro. "This is the first year, so as people learn about it they will realize that they are in a wildfire area. Even though we haven't had one in a while there's definitely a possibility and we want people to be ready."

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