Heavy Brush and Dry Spell Spark Fire Fear

Heavy brush from El Nino rains last year and cool dryness this year have created ideal conditions for big fires in the 1999 season, authorities say.

With rainfall well below normal, weather officials said the upcoming fire season could be the Southland’s worst since 1993, when fire ravaged Laguna Beach, Malibu and Altadena at a total cost of more than $880 million in about a week’s time.

Weather experts warned Friday that this winter’s dry spell following last year’s downpours has created conditions similar to those leading up to the 1993 fires.

Part of the problem is that last year’s record rainfall created a bumper crop of vegetation and growth that is now drying out and becoming potential fuel for wildfires.

Even this weekend’s rain is too little, too late. “We are way behind normal,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Ivory Small. “We’re not even in the ballpark.”

Orange County has recorded about 5 inches of rain since July, compared with last year’s nearly 28 inches, according to WeatherData Inc., a national forecasting service. With Orange County’s wettest months of January and February long gone, fire officials are considering bumping up the official start of fire season to late April instead of the usual June or July, if dry conditions continue.

“Conditions are shaping up to make it a very challenging fire season for us,” said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Scott Brown. “We are at the mercy of the weather.”

As usual this time of year, fire officials are urging residents to clear brush from around their homes to reduce the risk of wildfires.

Officials said the hills are so desiccated that they will be dangerously flammable by early summer.

“This year, we have way less fuel moisture,” said Glendale Fire Marshal David Starr, referring to moisture retained in plants.

In Glendale, which is one-third wild land area, the hills will be dangerously dry by June.

“Everything will be dried out before the really hot season hits,” he said, “and that puts us at risk.”

But officials said the year could still be normal. “We could have a heavy marine layer through June,” said Starr. “And that could make all the difference.”

Over the next few weeks, Orange County fire personnel will begin practicing wildfire fighting, Brown said, reinforcing safety procedures and ensuring equipment is in good order.

Many lessons have been learned since the October 1993 Laguna Beach fire that destroyed 366 homes and caused $528 million in damage.

Since then, the authority has added water-dropping helicopters and called for developers to leave more space between homes and wildlife, build wider roads for emergency access and use more fire-retardant construction materials.

“Fire is a part of the landscape here in California,” Brown said. “Our challenge is to make sure people remain aware of the potential danger.”

The fire authority can be reached at (714) 744-0496 or at its Web site, https://www.ocfa.org.

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Protecting Your Home

Precautions Orange County homeowners can take to reduce fire danger:

Keep a 10-foot clearance between trees and Chimneys.

Clear dry grass, thinning brush and other dead or dying materials from property. Comply with local guidelines. Keep grass short.

Clear roof of combustible leaves, needles and any other debris.

Make sure address is clearly visible from the street.

Do not smoke in hazardous fire areas.

Provide and maintain spark arrester on chimney.

Stack firewood at least 30 feet from the house.

Trim tree limbs near house.

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Fire regulations require Orange County property owners to keep brush trimmed within 100 feet of structures. Violators will be warned to comply within 30 days; after that, the county will do the work at owner’s expense. Cost, which depends on work required and size of property, includes a $233 administrative fee assessed on property-tax bill.

For information on clearing, call the county’s Office of Hazard Reduction at (714) 447-7108.

Sources: Orange County Fire Authority, Office of Hazard Reduction, Times reports