The 2023 year started off with heavy rainstorms bringing California out of a drought! Although this wet winter has solved the drought issue, it also creates new challenges for your community’s landscape. With the heavy rainfall we experienced this year, Fuel Modification areas have reaped the benefits and are showing enormous amounts of new growth. High temperatures are right around the corner and lush slopes will begin to dry out, becoming a serious fire hazard.
Now is the time to conduct evaluations of your slopes and fuel modification areas. Identify dead or dry plant material, confirm shrubs and groundcover is maintained no higher than 24″, and review that there are no more than 3 groupings of shrubs. Be sure to assess the clearance between the tree canopy and plant material as well. Reach out to OCFA or your Local Fire Department to do a pre-inspection and find out the new guidelines as they change annually. Inspections begin June 1st.
