Fire’s Reality Hits Home

MISSION VIEJO —  Gene and Diane Marin bought their two-story house here five years ago because they loved the way homes rubbed shoulders with Orange County’s rugged canyons and foothills. But Friday afternoon, Diane Marin saw only the potential for wildfire danger as she scanned the scenic horizon.

“It’s too close to home,” the 39-year-old woman said as she leaned over her balcony to sweep away leaves gathered on her wood-shingle roof. “The canyons are right behind us, and after everything we’ve seen this week . . . well, it makes you worry.”

After a week of watching wildfires sear through Southern California, the Marins were among the many residents scrambling to safeguard their homes against a weekend forecast of dry, gusting winds and high risk of fire.

Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Scott Brown said a steady stream of phone calls from the public has kept a bank of fire department operators busy answering queries about safeguards.

“People are a little nervous,” Brown said. “We’re telling people not to panic, but to go ahead and take the time to look around the house and take steps to keep the area and roof clear of combustible materials.”

Firefighters are on “extreme weather” status throughout the weekend, with expectations that swirling Santa Ana winds could be gusting 40 to 70 mph by Sunday night.

In Lemon Heights, where soot and debris still mark the path of the fire Monday that destroyed or damaged 27 houses, residents were hacking back overgrown shrubs, buying fire-safe boxes and gathering up family photos to prepare for another visit from the Santa Ana winds.

“It’s interesting to see what people do, how they react differently,” said Bob Davis, a Lemon Heights resident who saw his neighbor’s house burn to the ground. “For one of my neighbors, it became urgent for him to cut down all the shrubs and trees around his house. He probably spent $2,500 last week to do it. For another person, it was very important that she help her neighbors sift through the ashes of their home to find things.”

Davis’ own home sustained smoke and roof damage. On Friday, he said his neighborhood, like scores of others throughout the county, had a quiet but uneasy mood about the weekend. No one wants to panic, but the anxiety is hard to ignore.

“Everybody is just waiting,” Davis said.

Officials said fire units will be deployed to potential trouble spots throughout the county over the weekend.

“We’re ready,” said Brown of the Orange County Fire Authority, adding that homeowners must share the responsibility of safeguarding their property.

“We live in a fire-prone area, an area where natural disasters are a way of life, and everyone that lives here has to be aware of that and prepare for it in some fashion,” he said.

A survey of hardware and home improvement stores showed that sales of fire-safe boxes, gardening tools and fire extinguishers appeared to be up, especially in the south and east corners of the county.

Several nursery owners said customers were calling to ask about ground cover plants that resist fire and mull over replacement of their less-safe shrubs. Some Orange County kennels also reported a slight upswing in business, but employees were unsure if it was related to apprehension over the fire danger.

At the Home Base in Irvine, fire extinguisher sales were up a brisk 25%, along with lumber sales, according to general manager Greg Doherty.

“Everybody is buying lumber to replace the fences knocked down last week,” Doherty said. “And we expect the same next week after the wind comes again.”

Insurance agents were also hearing from their clients.

Laguna Hills insurance agent Tom Bryant said that over the past few days he has heard from several clients who wanted to double-check their fire coverage. Last week, he called up his policyholders in Lemon Heights and San Diego County to remind them of some safety tips.

“I always tell them to grab valuable papers and photos and put them in a box and put it in the trunk of their car so they’re ready to go if they have to,” said Bryant, a local agent for 34 years. “Get the pets gathered in one place and grab a couple of gallons of water. You have to be ready.”

Bryant also suggests to his clients that they “rent, borrow or buy” a video camera to make a quick catalog of their possessions.

“Take pictures of everything and talk about the stuff when you do it, where you got it and how much it cost,” he said. “A good inventory is really vital. Then, put the tape at a friend’s house or in a safety deposit box.”

A detailed inventory on tape or in writing can lead “to an insurance check almost on the spot,” if a home is destroyed in a fire, Bryant said. Policyholders should also be sure to meet with their agents to ensure they understand the full extent of their coverage. For instance, some policies pay the replacement cost of an item, while others cover only the value of the item at the time it is destroyed.

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Protecting Your Home

This week’s wildfires serve as a reminder that residents of hillside areas should prepare for fires well before they strike. Here are tips on what you can do to protect your home before, during and after a fire.

Before Firefighters Arive

* Back car into garage or driveway for quick escapes; close car windows.

* Have predetermined, practiced escape routes.

* Be prepared to open garage door manually if electricity goes out.

* Place valuables and documents, including videos and photo albums, in car.

* Have pets ready to go.

Fire at Your Doorstep

* If the fire is moving swiftly, it may be safer to stay in your house than to try to outrun the flames. The fire front may move so quickly that it passes by the house. If the roof catches fire, get in your car, pull into the driveway and turn on air conditioning. Stay put. That’s safer than driving through smoke nd heat.

Defending Your House

* Place non-combustible ladder against house for roof access.

* Attach 100- foot hose to spigot.

* Close doors and windows, seal attic and basement vents.

* Remove sheer window curtains, close heavy curtains.

* Purchase a pump for your pool to use water for fighting fires.

* Store combustible materials, such as patio furniture, in garage.

* Fill large trash cans with water and place around house. Have sponges, small rugs or burlap sacks around to dip into water and extinquish spot flames.

* Turn off propane tanks.

* Wear long-sleeved shirt, pants, gloves, a dampened bandana and goggles if available.

* Wet roof with garden hose only when fire comes within 600 feet, then get down from roof.

After the Fire Passes

* With a garden hose, barrels of water and damp rugs, extinquish small spot fires on roof and around house. Keek doors and windows closed. Maintain a four-hour vigil around house, checking that no embers have gotten into attic or under eaves.

*

Trim or remove tree limbs near house and remove leaves from roof and gutters.

If you have a pool, buy a pump to draw water.

Keep woodpiles away from building.

Clear brush from area surrounding property. State law requires residents to keep flammable vegetation cleared for 30 feet away from structures.

Roll up car windows; face street for quicker escape.

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

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