Spring
2009
Spring
is Here
 AND SO IS WEED ABATEMENT
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY:
California
law (PRC 4291) requires property owners and/or occupants to create 100
feet of DEFENSIBLE SPACE around homes and buildings.
YOUR GOAL:
To Create a
Lean, Clean, and Green Zone 30 feet immediately surrounding your
home.
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DEFENSIBLE SPACE: |
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• is an
area around a structure where fuels and vegetation are
treated, cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire
towards the structure. |
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•
Defensible space provides room for firefighters to do their
jobs. |
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• Start with the easiest and least expensive
actions. Begin your work closest to your house and move
outward. Keep working on the more difficult items until you
have completed your entire project. |
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HINTS TO
SECURE A LEAN, CLEAN AND GREEN ZONE: |
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• Select
less flammable plants for your Lean, Clean and Green Zone:
Shorter plants (less than 2 feet) are safer than taller
ones. |
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• If kept
green, herbaceous plants (grass and non-woody flowers) are
better choices than shrubs and trees. |
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• If
planting shrubs and trees, choose deciduous (trees that shed
their leaves) ones over evergreens. Avoid planting juniper,
pine and palms. |
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• Remove
tree limbs that are touching the house or deck, or are
within 10 feet of the chimney. If limbs are encroaching on
overhead lines, contact your telephone or power company for
removal. |
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• Use
hard surfaces (concrete, stone, asphalt, brick, etc.) in
your landscaping. |
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• Clear
ALL flammable vegetation from within 10 feet of propane
tanks. |
 Creating Defensible Space
With defensible space your
home
could look like this ...
Without defensible space,
it could look like this…
For More On Defensible Space,
Click Here
Is Your Home Ready for Anything?
Click on the links below for more information from FEMA
New CAL
FIRE Video Released
CAL FIRE
has released a promotional video showing all the diverse, all risk fire
and rescue protection we provide to the citizens we serve. San Luis
Obispo County Fire is well represented.
Click Here
 Furloughs
Effect CAL FIRE and Public Service
Many
California government offices have been effected by Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger's order requiring state employees to take two (2) unpaid
days off a month. CAL FIRE is included. CAL FIRE Administrative offices
are to close the first and third Fridays of each month.
Read the Story Here
Project
Lifesaver
 Project
lifesaver is an active response to the problem of locating people who
may not be able to find their way home- before they become victims. The
national average rescue time is less than twenty minutes.
A lost person with Alzheimer’s disease, other dementia, or disability is
unaware of his or her situation- they do not call out for help and do
not respond to people calling out to them. Nearly half of these missing
and wandering will die if they are not located within 24 hours.
For more
information or to apply for a lifesaver wristband please call (805)
548-0909 or (877) 548 0909.
 SLO
County Adopts New Sprinkler Regulations
New
structures of more than 1,000 square feet will be affected
in 2008.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
INFORMATION
Why 100
Feet?
 In
January 2005 a new state law became effective that extended
the defensible space clearance around homes and structures from 30 feet
to 100 feet. Proper clearance to 100 feet dramatically increases the
chance of your house surviving a wildfire. This defensible space also
provides for firefighter safety when protecting homes during a wildland
fire.
For
more information, visit:
California Dept. of Forestry & Fire Protection
Fire Safety
Please remember to check your smoke alarm batteries.
Smoke alarms save hundreds of lives every year and are a valuable tool
in the house. If you are having difficulty checking your battery or need
assistance installing a smoke alarm, please call Station 15-South Bay at
(805) 528-1053 and we will be glad to come out and help you.
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