Fire Season Starts Early Due to Rains

Nothing’s certain but death and taxes--and fire season, if you live in Southern California.

This year, Ventura County’s fire season starts a month earlier than usual, thanks to abundant winter rains that nurtured a bumper crop of brush and undergrowth.

April 15 was more than tax day: It marked the start of the 1997 fire season, said Joe Luna, public information officer for the Ventura County Fire Department.

New growth, coupled with thousands of acres of dense brush that hasn’t burned in decades, prompted fire officials to set an early start to the fire season, Luna said. This means increased response by firefighters to brush and grass fires, as well as the start of the countdown to the county’s June 1 deadline for compliance with local brush clearance ordinances.

“We looked at all the indicators, the level of moisture in the brush, the fuel load, topography, and we thought it was best to get a jump on things this year,” Luna said.

To measure the level of moisture in new and old growth, fire officials collect a representative sample of grasses and brush, bake them in a kiln and measure the moisture released. The results translate into information about how flammable the hills, fields and mountains in the region have become.

“In Ventura County, 75% to 85% of the brush is in the urban area, and much of it hasn’t burned in many years,” Luna said.

Last year’s fire season began May 15, six weeks after 9,200 acres burned east of Santa Paula. By season’s end Nov. 15, a total of 12,027 acres had burned in the county, officials said.

In addition to monitoring moisture levels in the brush, fire officials use controlled burns to keep potential fire areas in check. Homeowners must also do their part.

“It’s the law that homeowners must clear brush from within 100 feet of any structure,” Luna said.

The Fire Department has mailed 17,000 reminders to property owners throughout the county. Inspectors rove the county, checking for compliance. When homeowners fail to clear the brush, the county will do it for them--and tack a fee on to their annual property bills, he said.

“By and large, we have great cooperation here in the county,” Luna said. “People have seen enough fires and they know what they can do, so they’re pretty good about clearing the brush.”

Anyone with questions about the fire season or brush clearance regulations may call 389-9736. To report suspicious activity related to possible arson, call Fire Arson Investigation at 378-7003.