Controlled Burning Demonstrated

Representatives for some of Ventura County’s farmers and ranchers learned firsthand Thursday how to use controlled burning and tilling to clear brush that can be a major hazard during fire season, officials said.

In a pilot program at La Cuesta Ranch across from Steckel Park, firefighters demonstrated how to remove combustible growth to create space around orchards and crops to protect those areas from fire.

The cleared area, known as defensible space, is the perimeter of structures or developments that separates them from the surrounding brush. Defensible space is key to defending structures from wildfire, according to Joe Luna, a county fire spokesman.

Ranchers are not required by law to clear brush that doesn’t surround a structure, Luna said.

“It’s not mandatory. These are just tools for the ranchers to protect their orchards,” Luna added.

Ranchers and farmers who choose to perform a controlled burn must wait until fire season ends in the fall, Luna said.

Representatives from the county’s Cattlemen’s Assn., the Farm Bureau, Limoneria Corp. and the Air Pollution Control District watched as state and county firefighters performed a controlled burn on a two-acre parcel.

Those watching learned how to control the amount of fire and the intensity of flames, Luna said. They were also shown discing, similar to tilling, and other methods of removing growth. More training sessions will be planned, Luna said.