Fire Chief Seeks to Defuse Map Controversy

City Fire Chief William Bamattre said Monday that he has sent letters and booklets on brush clearance to hundreds of homeowners in high-risk areas to defuse the recent controversy over department maps.

A city firefighter, Ron Harmon, has been quoted in The Times and other media as saying that he believes the maps showed homes that would be written off in the event of a major, wind-driven blaze.

However, Bamattre and other fire officials said the maps show only the homes with wood-shake shingle roofs. But they acknowledge that firefighters are forced to make quick decisions based on a variety of factors, including staffing, weather and even wooden roofs when they are fighting a major fire.

Yet Bamattre said that because of the controversy, he sent a clarification to all fire stations in the city on how the maps should be used. Firefighters could quickly determine a number of critical factors from the maps, including safe evacuation locations, water supplies and access routes.

Bamattre said he sent letters and a copy of a booklet written by Harmon to about 800 homeowners, describing the dangers of brush and wood shingle roofs. He said the controversy has had one positive effect: It has revived the issue of brush clearance at a dangerous time of the year.

City Councilman Joel Wachs, who asked for discussion of the issue at the Public Safety Committee meeting Monday, said the Fire Department needs to educate the public about the maps and the possible dangers homeowners face.

Wachs also saluted Harmon for making his views known. “There are prices to pay when someone speaks out . . . it doesn’t set well with people,” Wachs said.

But Bamattre assured the councilman he would not take retaliatory action. “We may cut his tongue out, but we won’t cut his head off,” he quipped.