North County Fire advises property owners of July 1 deadline to remove brush

North County Fire shouldn’t have to remind property owners in the greater Fallbrook area to keep brush under control after what was experienced by the community in the 2007 Rice Fire, but evidently they do. A large amount of brush currently exists on parcels within the Fallbrook, Rainbow, De Luz, and Bonsall area and the mandated date clearance must be accomplished by is only a little over two weeks away, July 1.

“The compliance date for the community-wide vegetation management program is July 1,” confirmed North County Fire Marshal Sid Morel. “These conditions apply to all properties in the Fallbrook area.”

Morel said compliance “makes our community safe.” All parcels are expected to be maintained year round and have 100 feet of clearance between structures and naturally occurring weeds and dead vegetation.

Written notification of the upcoming deadline was mailed out by North County Fire a few weeks ago to all property owners of record in the area.

“Property owners were asked to maintain their properties in accordance with the Vegetation Management Standards included in that letter,” said Morel. “Anyone that does not understand these requirements, we are glad to make a visit to the property at no charge to discuss what it means.”

Morel said recent rainfall has “dramatically increased the annual grass and weed production.”

“While fire is a catastrophe, its risk can be reduced,” he said. “Fire is a natural part of the life cycle of many of Southern California’s native plant species, and periodic fires are integral to the ecosystem in San Diego’s rural areas. It is impossible to prevent all fires, but there are important things that residents in rural communities can do to lower the risk of damage to their homes when fires occur.”

Fire officials have said the best time to clear one’s property of weeds and undesirable vegetation is in early spring because the ground is soft and small weeds can be pulled out or easily trimmed down before they begin blossoming.

Morel said North County Fire has put together a “user-friendly guide for improving the fire safety of your home and property.” This brochure and many others can be picked up at the administrative offices located at 330 South Main Avenue, Fallbrook. For a free wildland fire home assessment, call (760) 723-2015.

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