BRUSH FIRE SEASON ARRIVES; OFFICIALS URGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS.Byline: Orith Goldberg Staff Writer As temperatures climb and brush fire season makes its debut, Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. residents living near wild land are advised to take extra precautions to increase the safety of their homes. Responding to at least 10 brush fires in the Santa Clarita Valley last week, firefighters said homes with cut grass and thinned out vegetation appeared visibly safer from approaching fires. ``If a house catches on fire and the resident hasn't cleared the brush, the fire could spread,'' Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Fire Capt. Ben Wolfe said. That is why firefighters conduct inspections at homes near wild land each year. Firefighters inspect locations including Wildwood Wildwood, city (1990 pop. 4,484), Cape May co., SE N.J., on an island off Cape May; settled 1882, inc. as a city 1911. It has large commercial fisheries and is a popular summer seaside resort with many vintage motels and other buildings from the 1940s–60s. and Placerita canyons, encouraging residents to clear 200 feet in their back yards of combustible com·bus·ti·ble adj. Capable of igniting and burning. n. A substance that ignites and burns readily. fuels and cut branches away from the openings of chimneys. ``Our objective is to make the home as safe as we can,'' Battalion Chief Daniel Scott Daniel Scott is probably best known for his role as Adam/Felicia in the musical adaptation of ''. He was born and raised in the Western suburbs of Sydney and by age fourteen, he was an accomplished pianist and had appeared in productions of said. Scott said in most cases, brush fires are caused by people and are not maliciously started. While it may be second nature for residents living in wooded areas to be aware of fire hazards, others may be less inclined to think about what may start a fire, officials said. ``Folks who don't live there have nothing to cause them to think about it,'' Scott said. He said freeways are problem areas for fires because people may throw cigarettes or cars may overheat o·ver·heat v. o·ver·heat·ed, o·ver·heat·ing, o·ver·heats v.tr. 1. To heat too much. 2. To cause to become excited, agitated, or overstimulated. v.intr. . ``(Motorists) should try to avoid parking their vehicle in the brush when it's hot,'' Scott said. ``When pulling over, they should pull into a gravel area.'' Firefighters may respond to as many as 100 fires during brush season throughout the Santa Clarita Valley, Scott said. Firefighters may face more challenging conditions in the fall, when they must battle blazes during Santa Ana winds Santa Ana Winds may refer to: 1. Santa Ana wind, a local Southern California reference to Föhn winds, a meteorological phenomenon occurring as a layer of wind is forced over a mountain range -- drying the air -- which then passes over the crest and begins to move downslope -- , Wolfe said. Recent fires in the Castaic, Valencia and Canyon Country areas have kept firefighters busy throughout the week. Residents living near the Valencia Summit said Tuesday that they were thankful the sprinkler system was installed at the edges of yards facing the hillside. Scott said, fortunately, those homes had tile roofs, stucco and little wood. |
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