Fire Hazards Check to Be Conducted

Firefighters will be patrolling Ventura County neighborhoods starting today to check if residents have cleared potential fire hazards by cutting back brush and grass around their homes.

For the past 20 years, the county has required that wild grass and brush be removed from within 100 feet of structures. Fire officials say the strict codes helped save hundreds of homes that could have burned in last year’s firestorm.

“There’s no doubt that we would have lost more structures without the code,” said Terry Raley, the wild-land fire officer for the Ventura County Fire Department.

Raley said 9% of the 20,000 residences in the county complied with the rules last year. This year, he expects 99% compliance.

“With last year’s fires, people are more aware of the hazard and will likely follow through with clearing the fire hazards,” he said.

Residents who don’t comply with the fire codes will be given one warning; if the hazards are not cleared within five days of that warning, the Fire Department will clear the hazard and charge the homeowner for the work.

In addition to the cost of clearing the area, which averages about $800, the Fire Department will charge a $221 administrative fee for processing the code violation, Raley said.