THOUSAND OAKS : Controlled Burns Planned for Area

Ventura County fire officials said Wednesday they are planning several controlled burns early next year around Thousand Oaks’ Wildwood Park to reduce the risk of a wildfire near a subdivision with hundreds of shake roof residences.

Beginning in January, firefighters will cut and clear brush in two- to three-acre parcels, then stack the debris for burning, said Terry Raley, the Fire Department official in charge of the program. A total of 20 to 30 acres of brush will be removed under the five-month program, which will be repeated every year for the next several years.

The fire-prevention program has been in the planning stages for more than a year and was not the result of the recent wildfires in the Thousand Oaks area, Raley said. There are more than 400 residences in the Wildwood Park area with shake roofs.

Raley said the intent of the program is to keep the fire risk in the area down until all surrounding residences with shake roofs change over to tile or other fire-resistant roofing materials, as required under county ordinance. The program is being conducted in cooperation with the city of Thousand Oaks, the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the California Department of Forestry.

The Conejo Recreation and Park District plans to hold a public meeting on the program later this month, said Jon Von Tilburg, the district’s park superintendent. A tentative Dec. 16 date has been scheduled, but Tilburg said he is still working out details on a meeting site.