Fire officials urge San Diegans to prepare homes for wildfire season

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — Fire officials and the County of San Diego is urging residents to prepare their homes for wildfire season by creating a “defensible space.”

County Supervisor Dianne Jacob was scheduled to join the San Diego County Fire Authority and Cal Fire San Diego Tuesday to remind residents of the importance of maintaining a perimeter around their home that is free of debris, leaves and other vegetation that could be fuel for fires.

“Grasses and weeds that shot up due to the recent rains are already turning brown, creating abundant fuel for wildfires,” 

San Diego County has invested more than $400 million in the region’s firefighting resources since 2003, but says they can’t do it alone. Creating a defensible space of at least 100 feet around their property can help prevent wildfire flare ups.

To create a defensible space residents should thin out brush surrounding their house, mow tall grass and clear dead and dying vegetation from their property. The county also suggests clearing leaves from roofs and gutters and removing flammable debris.

It is also important that residents maintain the defensible area throughout the fire season.