OFFICIALS WARN OF EARLIER, LONGER WILDFIRE SEASON : HOMEOWNERS URGED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS DUE TO DRY GRASS.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

A wet December and a bone-dry February and March means that wildfire season has arrived earlier than normal, and will linger longer.

While storms typically reach into March and April, the last rains received this year in the area were in January.

``The start for us is coming earlier than expected,'' said Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Tom Costello. ``The grass is dry enough now that if a fire starts, it has a great potential.''

Fire officials said they were helped somewhat by freezing temperatures that had kept the grasses from growing as high as might be expected.

``While typically we might have seen grass that would be waist high, this year it would come to the knee,'' Costello said.

``That's the only thing that's going to help us this year,'' he said.

Officials expect to begin chasing what they call prairie fires or grass fires any time now.

Firefighters fought the first fire of the season April 11 at 70th Street East between Avenue L and M. The blaze blackened 10 acres, and larger ones are expected by May.

``Typically, the early fires will start in May and June with 35-40 mph winds out of the southwest,'' said Costello.

Later in the fall, when Santa Ana wind conditions begin to pick up, the fires will move toward the hills and involve areas of heavier brush.

Fire officials especially worry about grass adjacent to hillsides because it ignites easily and can quickly spread to neighboring slopes.

``The grass is the fuse for the hillside,'' said Costello. ``If it preheats the brush enough, then it could just snowball from there.''

Officials say that timing is the key. If a fire breaks out on a day with little to no winds, firefighters have greater chances of putting it out quickly.

During the past months, firefighters have been working with forestry officials to have prescribed burns - burning large portions of heavier brush that would create fire breaks and stop wildfires.

``Prescribed burns only work in areas that are large enough,'' said Costello. ``This is one way we can have a safe control.''

Besides doing prescribed burns each year, fire officials warn residents to clear weeds or any combustible material away from their homes.

``We're prime for a fire,'' said Capt. Tim Bloom. ``It's important for homeowners to take precautions.''

As part of the county's weed abatement program, fire officials require residents to clear a 30-foot perimeter around their homes, leaving only landscaped or maintained vegetation.

Weeds and shrubs should be no more than 6 inches high from 30-100 feet outside a home's perimeter.

Homeowners also are advised to remove all the dead vegetation from the roofs of their homes, clear away any combustible piles of waste and to make sure there is a 15-foot clearance around chimneys.