By Mike Conrad, Division Chief Operations Aptos La Selva Fire Protection District
I had hoped that with some of the rains we saw in late 2014 we were off to a good wet winter. Outside of a little rain in February, that has not been the case; in fact this January was one of the driest on record. We are heading into our 4th straight year of drought.
Not only do we have less water but our vegetation has gone with less water as well. There has been very little recovery in the dead fuel moisture of our 100 hour fuels which are fuels measuring from 1 to 3 inches in diameter. Larger fuels like the 1,000-hour and 10,000 hour have seen no real change this winter. What the rain we received has done for us, and I am sure you see it when looking around the community; it has provided a bumper crop of annual grasses. Along portions of Highway 1 you can see grasses standing already three feet tall, seeded out and starting to dry.
This means we will have the potential for a seriously dangerous fire season. Looking at the Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook maps, Santa Cruz County is identified as having an above normal potential for a significant wild fire. CalFire is in the process of increasing its staffing and plans on being fully staffed for the summer sometime in May, which is very early for us here on the central coast. The Aptos La Selva Fire District will be starting our wild land inspections soon as well, notices have already been sent out to homeowners in the affected areas.
This year I say this with more of a sense of urgency than ever before; now is the time for you to make a difference in the ability of your home to survive a wildland fire. Provide the necessary defensible space needed, ensure that that roadway and driveway clearances are met to allow for the quickest response possible of the fire department to your home. Be sure that your address is well marked, a minimum of 4 inches in height, and a contrasting color to the background. Additional signage may be necessary in rural areas.
Take the time now to make sure that fire fighters can quickly do the following during a wild fire near your home:
Find your address- Access your road or driveway
- Support the defensible space you provided
Take a moment and review the steps necessary in protecting your home. Visit our website at www.aptosfire.com or www.preventwildfireca.org for more information. Then pick a weekend in the very near future and “Get ‘er Done!”
We always need to be careful about wild fires but this summer and until our drought situation is over and fuel moisture levels have returned to normal, we must be extra vigilant.