Not only is it a good idea to protect yourself and your home from the dangers of the fire season, many people do not realize that it is the law in California.
A recent change to Public Resources Code 4291 extends the defensible space clearance requirement around homes and structures from 30 feet to 100 feet from every building or structure that is used for support or shelter of any use or occupancy. Having proper clearance to 100 feet dramatically increases the chance of your house surviving a wildfire and also provides for firefighter safety when protecting homes during a wildland fire.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or CALFIRE, created a brochure that states, "Compliance to PRC 4291 is required by any person who owns, leases, controls, operates or maintains a building or structure in or adjoining any mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass-covered lands or any land that is covered with flammable material and is within the State Responsibility to comply with the law. Owner, lessee or operator must also comply with all existing environmental protection laws and must obtain all necessary permits. Contact your local resource or planning agency officials to ensure compliance with federal, state and local requirements."
The California Government Code sections 51175-51189 clarify the very high fire hazard severity zones and describe in detail the classification of lands in the state in accordance with the law. If a very high fire hazard is present, public officials are able to identify measures that will retard the rate of spread, and reduce the potential intensity, of uncontrolled fires that threaten to destroy resources, life, or property, and to require that those measures be taken.
Creating a defensible space is the cornerstone of the law in California. In April 2008, CALFIRE released a news bulletin reminding homeowners of the importance of creating a defensible space and created general guidelines for homeowners to use when creating defensible space.
By Robyn M. Moltzen, Public Services Librarian
written July 2008
Links for "Fire Protection in California"
Brochure, flyer, videos, song:
http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_100feet.php
2008 News Release:
http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/newsreleases/2008archive/DefensibleSpacePrepare.pdf
2006 guidelines:
http://www.fire.ca.gov/cdfbofdb/PDFS/4291finalguidelines2_23_06.pdf
Defensible Space: Good and Bad photo album
http://www.fire.ca.gov/about/photosection/cdf_100foot_space/
Make Your Home FIRESAFE checklist
http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/DefensibleSpaceFlyer.pdf
Make Your Home FIRESAFE Checklist (Español)
http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/CDF%20Defens_space_spanish09_web.pdf
Homeowner’s Checklist (inside and out)
http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/Checklist.pdf
Homeowner’s Checklist (inside and out) (Español)
http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/downloads/fact_sheets/checklist_sp.pdf