Date: April 24, 2001
To: Board of Supervisors
Subject: Improving Fire Protection In San Diego County
Summary:
The fire season in San Diego needs to be based on potential fire conditions, not arbitrary dates. Since there is a year round threat, we need a year round fire season. In addition, burn permits and brush clearing need to take priority over environmental impact and air quality concerns when it clearly is a matter of public safety.
This board letter calls for several initiatives to enhance the resources that local fire agencies have and to improve the brush challenges that many agencies and residents face.
The Viejas Fire has unfortunately reminded residents of the dangers of brush fire in the rural areas and that a devastating fire can break out year round if ideal conditions exist. Several initiatives need to be considered to improve the delivery of fire service and protect the safety and property of residents.
Recommendations:
2. Authorize the County's State and Federal lobbyists to advocate for establishing a year round fire season in San Diego County.
3. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to review current County regulations for residential brush clearing to determine if property owners should be allowed to clear brush further than 100 feet from a structure and report back to the Board in 120 days.
4. Acting as the Air Pollution Control Board, direct the APCD Executive Officer to work with the California Department of Forestry and develop proposed changes to APCD guidelines so that obtaining a burn permit from the California Department of Forestry is less restrictive.
SUPERVISOR DIANNE JACOB:
1. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to draft a letter to the members of San Diego's State and Federal delegations, for the Chair's signature, urging the State of California and the United States government to establish a year round fire season in San Diego County.
Fiscal Impact:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this request.
BACKGROUND:
The California Department of Forestry and the United States Forest Service are fully funded only during a predetermined fire season that usually lasts between April 15 and December 15. Vulnerability exists when full resources are not available and there's a significant potential for a large brush fire.
Fire agencies should not be limited by a budget that is only good for eight months out of the year. Stations close down and apparatus are not available for immediate use. Property may be destroyed and lives can be lost during a time when San Diego County is facing a year round fire threat, but state and federal fire fighting agencies are not fully prepared year round. It is important for San Diego's State and Federal delegation to push for additional funding so that these fire agencies are appropriately funded year round.
Currently, the County allows for 100 feet of brush clearing for fire prevention purposes around structures, both inside and outside the MSCP. Although the County worked with fire agencies in coming up with these guidelines in 1997, there is a need to reconsider this matter to see if the County should allow the clearing of greater than 100 feet from structures. Public safety must take priority over environmental protection. In some cases, it may be essential for fire agencies to have the discretion to allow property owners to clear brush up to 150 feet or more from a structure.
In addition to brush clearing, burn permits must be easier to obtain from the California Department of Forestry. The Air Resources Board and the Air Pollution Control District need to re-evaluate the impact that residential brush burning has on air quality. Recently, the California Department of Forestry has been mandated to be more stringent with the issuing of burn permits. Unfortunately, this has impacted residents who rely on burning brush to clear their property and reduce the threat of fire spreading on their property. The effect on air quality from a large scale wildfire is far greater than the impact associated with issuing burn permits. The California Department of Forestry needs to have the discretion for issuing burn permits without the restrictive interference of air quality agencies.
This board letter calls for several initiatives to enhance the ability of local fire agencies to protect lives and property. It also helps residents to better protect their property from a major fire incident. I urge your support.
Respectfully Submitted,
The Viejas Fire has unfortunately reminded residents of the dangers of brush fire in the rural areas and that a devastating fire can break out year round if ideal conditions exist. Several initiatives need to be considered to improve the delivery of fire service and protect the safety and property of residents.
DIANNE JACOB
Supervisor, Second District
