The wildfires currently raging in Ventura County, and closer to home, above Banning, are serious reminders of the need to protect our surroundings. Managing Editor Tami Roleff advises on creating defensible spaces…
One of the best ways to prepare for wildfires is to create a defensible space around your home. Clear all dead vegetation, cut off tree limbs up to six feet off the ground as well as limbs that overhang roofs, and move wood piles and other combustibles away from the sides of structures. This defensible space should extend 100 feet from the house, or to the property line. In the coming weeks, San Bernardino County fire fighters will go door-to-door in areas that are most susceptible to wild fires to hand out information about defensible spaces. They will also offer specific advice on how best to create defensible space for your house. These visits are free of charge. To schedule an assessment of your home’s property, call the Fire Marshall at 909-386-8400. For more information on how to prepare for wild fires, visit www.sbcfire.org and click on Safety Preparedness.
