Lack of Rainfall May Help Reduce Fire Hazard

Fire officials are hoping that last winter’s sparse rainfall will greatly reduce the chances of major blazes in wilderness areas this year.

But the absence of thick undergrowth that usually results from rains will only help to a degree. Fire officials say the key to the severity of the fire season is the Santa Ana winds.

“If we have very hot days with Santa Ana winds, we could have great problems,” said William Pidanick, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. “The hottest times and greatest risks are in September and October after the vegetation has been drying all summer long. It’s very volatile and susceptible.”

The Forest Service, which is declaring April 26 the first day of fire season, is beefing up its resources in Southern California with 50 additional workers, two helicopters and one aerial tanker able to carry 2,000 gallons of fire retardant.

Areas to Be Closed

Another tanker, with an 800-gallon capacity, will arrive in the area next month to join the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections, spokesman Mike Harris said.

In Orange County, hazardous fire areas, including some of the canyons, will be closed to the public beginning May 4, said Kathleen Cha, spokeswoman for the County Fire Department.

How busy the fire season is mostly depends on the public because a great many fires are started inadvertently by people, Harris said.

But arson, the cause of about 20% of last season’s fires, also was the No. 1 cause of “large and damaging” fires--those that burn hundreds of acres and homes, Harris said.

Weed-Clearing Required

Homeowners in fire-prone areas are required by the state and county to clear weeds from their property for at least 30 feet around any structures. Some areas have stricter regulations, Pidanick added.

Anaheim plans to close hill areas to the public and has hired contractors to cut fire breaks to help prevent spread of blazes, city Fire Marshall Michael Doty says.

A fire which caused $1.5 million in damage to an apartment complex last Fourth of July prompted the City Council to outlaw fireworks this year, according to Doty.

This Fourth of July, teams of plainclothes officials--one police officer and one firefighter--will patrol the city and cite anyone with fireworks.