Fire Chief's Report ¬– defensible space gives homes a chance in wildfires

Although we are now in the winter months, last month’s Lilac fire demonstrated that fire season is year-round in Southern California and such devastating winter fires are not uncommon.

Sixteen years ago in February 2002 we experienced the Gavilan fire, which destroyed 46 homes and burned 10,000 acres under very similar circumstances. In surveying the Lilac fire’s path of destruction it was fairly evident that most residences that survived – as was the case in the Gavilan fire – had sufficient defensible space and were well maintained.

As much as we would like to be everywhere at once, today’s...