LA HABRA

City officials approved an ordinance this week to spot and remove weeds, refuse and other material from sites throughout the city in an effort to prevent fires and blight.

The City Council voted unanimously for the new year-round abatement program to remove the material as it builds on property.

The city has had a weed abatement program since 1970, which has allowed work crews to remove dry plant material posing a fire threat from private and public property during the summer months, Fire Chief Mike McGroarty said. He added that proper notice is given for landowners to remove the material themselves. The fire season can sometimes last through December in La Habra, which is why a year-round program is necessary, he said.

The new program also allows the city to remove materials, such as concrete slabs or dirt mounds on vacant lots, in order to reduce aesthetic blight, city officials said.