Expos to Focus on Wildfires : Safety: Agencies will offer demonstrations at the July 30 session, the first in a series across the region.

In an effort to alert residents to brush fire dangers, the first in a series of Los Angeles County Fire Department wildfire safety expos is scheduled for July 30 at Santa Clarita City Hall.

The daylong expo will include demonstrations from the county fire and sheriff’s departments, the American Red Cross and city volunteers trained in emergency preparedness. Vendors will sell products that prevent, inhibit or douse fires.

“It’s one-stop shopping,” said John Lenihan, an engineer with the county Fire Department. “People can come to the expo and see what’s out there.”

Fire Department expos are scheduled during August and September in Altadena, La Canada, Palos Verdes and San Dimas. A similar program, offered by the city of Malibu, is slated Aug. 13.

The programs have been arranged in communities where there is mixed urban and wild-land property and neighboring homes are surrounded by brush. The condition allows wildfires to burn quickly and spread destruction over a large area.

“We wanted to find locations that were appropriate, “ Lenihan said. “If we get a good response, then we’ll definitely do it again.”

Organizers estimate 1,000 to 5,000 people will attend each event.

The expos are part of an overall fire education and training program for the public known as Operation Firestop. It was created after dozens of blazes scorched Southern California during October and November, destroying hundreds of homes and thousands of acres of land.

Lenihan said many Southern California residents tried to save their homes from the fires last fall with nothing more than a garden hose.