Fair Warning on Fees, Fires

With the San Fernando Valley a riot of jacaranda, bougainvillea, oleander and roses, it’s hard to believe we’re just weeks away from the start of the long dry season, which officially begins in June. As Southern Californians know all too well, spring flowers can give way to summer or fall wildfires unless precautions are taken.

City regulations require property owners in the Mountain Fire District to clear brush within 200 feet of structures and 10 feet of roadways by May 1. The Los Angeles Fire Department sends out inspectors to make sure homeowners comply.

On May 10, the department began sending out notices to several thousand violators, giving them 15 days to meet the brush-clearance requirements.

Gone is last year’s brouhaha over a newly imposed and eventually rescinded $13 brush inspection fee. But residents who ignore the fire department’s warning that their property is not up to par after the free initial inspection will be charged $218 for a reinspection.

The city has had the power to charge a reinspection fee in the past but has not done so. This year, it will. Consider this fair warning.

But the real warning is of fire danger. Here in the tinder-dry Los Angeles area, clearing a defensive area around a home can make the difference between saving or losing it. Property owners who ignore this responsibility put not just their own but their neighbors’ homes at risk.