TOPANGA : Arson Watch Starts Fund-Raising Drive

A volunteer organization that patrols wildfire-prone areas to prevent arson and fires caused by carelessness has launched a fund-raising campaign.

Allen Emerson, president of Arson Watch and Disaster Services Inc., says his group spends about $2,500 each year for expenses such as renting communication equipment for its six arson watch teams.

Volunteers, working under the supervision of the Sheriff’s Department, use their own vehicles to patrol wilderness areas, on the lookout for people who are acting suspicious or carelessly discarding items like cigarettes or matches. Using two-way radios, the volunteers report trouble to the authorities.

Emerson, who lives in Monte Nido, has sent a letter to residents in fire-prone areas served by the group, asking residents to make tax-deductible contributions.

“Clearly, Arson Watch makes the difference between a minor incident and a major conflagration,” the letter says. “It can make a difference between safety and disaster--between life and death--for you, your family, your pets and your friends.”

The teams operate in Topanga, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Seminole Hot Springs, Malibu and Chatsworth, Emerson said. The organization has also participated in earthquake relief drills and is working on a plan to provide public safety officials with reports on road conditions and structural damage during earthquakes and other disasters.

Of the six arson watch teams, Topanga has the largest contingent of volunteers, Emerson said. It has 70, while the Malibu and Cornell-Seminole Hot Springs teams have about 25 members.