Fire inspections are in full swing in the hills with firefighters and inspectors knocking on doors, walking through yards and writing up reports.
Homeowners should keep their vegetation trimmed year-round rather than wait for the annual inspection, said inspector Vince Crudele of the Oakland Fire Prevention Bureau. As a reminder, the agency sent out fire code notices last month. It will inspect 25,000 properties by mid-July.
Nearby Piedmont fire Capt. Scott Barringer is also busy with a similar program as the start of fire season begins.
So far, homeowners on Crane Way near Joaquin Miller Park were representative of the typical problems Crudele and his crew find each year: poor street address visibility, lack of a chimney spark arrestor to prevent embers from escaping, and excessive or overgrown vegetation.
Homeowner Steve Jones was prepared when inspectors knocked on his door.
"I saw the notice and read it," he said. "It helped me know what to look for."
Jones' street address could be clearly seen from the street. His chimney had a spark arrestor. The upslope back yard was lusciously landscaped and well-maintained. The tree limbs were trimmed at least 6 feet from the ground and no tree branches were within 10 feet of chimneys.
His roof was cleared of vegetation debris. No dead vegetation was on the ground to catch on fire.
The only suggestion Crudele had for Jones was to remove the overgrown ivy near his inactive concrete barbecue pit if he plans to use it one day. Behind the pit is a wooden fence. The ivy could become a fuel ladder, he said.
Wildfire often travels from lower lying vegetation upward through brush or along a fence, to low hanging branches, upward to the tops of trees, and onward from one tree to roof top and the next. Removing fire fuels eliminates a major cause of fire spread, a tougher challenge this year because of the longer rainy season that caused thicker vegetation.
Homeowner Mike Conran's large downhill backyard was his only challenge. He has cut the grasses to 6 inches or less at least 30 feet from his property but it should be 100 feet, said Capt. Paul Leimone. Grasses that catch on fire downhill could blaze up the hill into his property, he said.
About a third of homes have no code violations, Crudele said.
Most homes only need basic yard maintenance such as clearing dead leaves and trimming overgrown plants. Last year, 500 homes were written up for lack of a spark arrestor. Unfortunately, about half of the homes that have a violation ignore the inspection report, Crudele said.
Fire inspections started June 15 and homeowners have until July 19 to comply to the report or face a $200 re-inspection fee plus the cost of doing the required work.
"Homeowners need to take action immediately because they are creating a hazard for their community," Crudele said. Otherwise, "a fee of $5,000 or more is not hard to find."
Distributed by the Associated Press
