BRUSH FIRE TASK FORCE AT WORK IN REGION LITTLE RAIN THIS SEASON LEAVES AREA TINDER-DRY.

Byline: RACHEL URANGA

Staff Writer

Worried that balmy temperatures and a near record-breaking dry spell will lead to a disastrous fire season, officials announced Thursday they will launch brush clearance efforts two months ahead of schedule.

Fire crews are now clearing brush on city-owned property from Chatsworth to Mount Washington and will step up monitoring of known fire zones.

"Normally, we start this in May, but because of the weather, it takes the humidity out of the vegetation. Now when a fire starts, it will burn a lot faster and quicker," said Antoine McKnight, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

At the same time, officials encouraged the owners of roughly 130,000 homes and businesses in "very high fire hazard" zones -- including the Santa Susana and Santa Monica mountains -- to clear brush within 200 feet of structures. Notices will be mailed May 1, warning property owners to clear the brush or face a $600 fine.

"You have a lot of dry brittle fuel out there, and it's important to maintain clearance," McKnight said. "It makes property defensible and will be easier to protect the structures."

Los Angeles averages 15.1 inches of rain from July 1 through the following June.

The region has received just 2.242 inches this year, climatologists said, on track for being the driest on record if Los Angeles doesn't get significant precipitation over the next couple of months.

The National Weather Service has issued seven red flag warnings since Dec. 1, and the normal fire season is still months off.

"Typically, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary to not have any red flag warnings from the new year through the very early part of spring," said Joe Sirard, National Weather Service meteorologist. "That's because ordinarily we'd get enough rain to cause the vegetation to green up and the moisture in the new plant growth would be too high to produce extreme fire behavior, even if there are strong winds and low humidity."

In 2005, when there was near record rainfall in the Southland, there was a tremendous amount of above-normal new plant growth during this time of year, Sirard said.

"It's scary out there. It's so dry," said Bill Patzert, climatologist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. "Fire season is here already, but it's going to get worse."

On Monday, an 8.7-acre fire broke out at Griffith Park. The cause is still under investigation, but officials say it's an early indication of how volatile and dry the area is.

"We are at high risk and it's extremely scary out there. All we need is a humming high line or wacko pyromaniac," Patzert said. "It's been extremely critical out there, now it's serious."

Los Angeles County Fire Department officials say they will be deploying extra firetrucks to Malibu, Santa Clarita and other hot spots during red flag warnings.

rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa grabs a handful of dried brush to demonstrate the fire hazard the dry hillsides pose during a news conference Thursday at Griffith Park to announce the deployment of a 40-member brush fire task force.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer