Fire Safety : Protecting Your Home and Property Against Fire

It has been nearly two years since the Old Topanga wildfire, yet reminders of the blaze remain. In some areas, blackened trees stand in harsh contrast to the surrounding lush growth brought on by this year’s heavy rains. Only recently have the handmade “Thank You Firefighters” signs been taken down along Old Topanga Road.

Although a fading memory for some, the 1993 firestorm was a wake-up call for residents with homes on brushy hillsides, or in canyons and hard-to-reach neighborhoods. The Los Angeles city and county fire departments recommend--and in high-risk areas, require--clearing brush to reduce fire hazard.

Prior to fire season, both departments distribute flyers outlining safety regulations to homes in vulnerable areas. The city Fire Department’s mailings go to owners of lots in the Mountain Fire District, which totals about 140 acres and is mostly in the San Fernando Valley.

Brush inspections began May 1, and residents with overgrown brush are given a chance to clear it themselves. Those who don’t comply are faced with a hefty bill. City fire brush inspector Mike Thule said that last year, out of the nearly 15,000 notices written up to residents requiring brush clearance, about 90% complied.

Creating a Safety Zone

Establishing a 30-foot zone without flammable vegetation reduces the chance of a wildfire spreading onto property. It also gives firefighters room to maneuver should they need to protect your home during a fire.

Fire Department Guidelines:

The city requires vegetation to be three inches or less for 100 feet around the house. The county allows up to 18 inches for the area between 30 feet and 100 feet from the house.

The county Fire Department requires that vegetation be kept at a maximum height of 18 inches for an additional 70 feet from house. The city Fire Department requires vegetation be three inches or less the entire 100 feet from the house.

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* Single trees, ornamental shrubbery and cultivated ground cover need not be removed if they are considered non-flammable.

* Locate fuel tanks at least 30 feet from any structure and clear area within 10 feet of them.

* Regularly remove dead branches, leaves and needles from all plants.

* Trees taller than 18 feet should have their lower branches pruned within six feet of the ground.

* Space trees and shrubs at least 10 feet apart.

* Remove any branches within 10 feet of a chimney.

* Cover chimney with half-inch steel mesh to prevent sparks from igniting roof or brush.

* Keep roof and gutters free of leaves and needles.

Notable Valley-Area Fires

September, 1970. About 400 structures were destroyed and 10 people killed in several fires that roared as a single wall of flame from Newhall to Malibu.

October, 1978. A series of fires destroyed 230 structures and burned about 33,000 acres from Malibu to Agoura to Mandeville Canyon.

November, 1981: The Oat Mountain fire burned 17,500 acres in the hills north of Chatsworth. Five houses and a mobile home were damaged. Another blaze the same day charred 1,000 acres near Chatsworth Reservoir, destroying six homes.

December, 1988. Twenty homes were destroyed and 50 damaged as 2,670 acres burned in Porter Ranch.

June, 1990. An early summer fire raged through Glendale, destroying 46 houses and damaging 20 others.

November, 1993. The Old Topanga firestorm burned 16,500 acres in Topanga, Calabasas and Malibu, causing three deaths. More than 7,000 firefighters fought the wind-driven blaze, which destroyed 388 homes and caused more than $200-million worth of damage.

Hazardous Vegetation

County and city fire departments recommend removing from your property all vegetation considered flammable. The following types, considered hazardous, should used only as isolated plantings:

* Juniper

* Cypress

* Eucalyptus

* Pampas grass

Sources: Los Angeles Fire Department; Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Researched by JULIE SHEER / Los Angeles Times