Here is the news of the week for July 21:
- FIRE UPDATE: Detwiler Fire in the Central Valley now at more than 70,000 acres and only 15% contained. Sierra News Online has info on the evacuations that have been ordered. Sierra Sun Times has photos of the fire. This unfortunate tragedy provides a sad reminder of just how important hardening your home is. In large fires like this, there won’t be enough resources to protect every home, so anything you can do to help your house survive with as little defense as possible is really important.
- NFPA has a great fact sheet on protecting your roof from wildfire.
- How fire departments are handling shrinking resources.
Have a great weekend. Stay safe, everyone.
“So anything you can do to help your hourse survive…”, might begin with the Madera County Board of Supervisors taking a look at PRC 4291 that states “(2) A greater distance than that required under paragraph (1) may be required by state law, local ordinance, rule, or regulation. Clearance beyond the property line may only be required if the state law, local ordinance, rule, or regulation includes ‘findings that the clearing is necessary to significantly reduce the risk of transmission of flame or heat sufficient to ignite the structure’ and there is no other feasible mitigation measure possible to reduce the risk of ignition or spread of wildfire to the structure…” They have not bothered to respond. The Battalion Chief told us we shouldn’t have built our homes so close to the adjacent property. There seems to be a solution for our homes to be able to clear 100 feet even if in another’s property. As long as we can’t, we are subject to the dangers of unmaintained property. More homes will be lost when we have no power to protect ourselves.