Almost all county property owners comply with fire abatement

 

Santa Barbara County sent out 147 notices to property owners in June who had not cleared their property for weed abatement, declaring the properties a “public nuisance.”

At its July 1 meeting, the Board of Supervisors were to vote on issuing citations to the remaining property owners who have not complied and posting the names in a prominent public location.

However, on June 27, Santa Barbara County Fire Marshal Chris Hahn said, “All but nine of those issued warnings … have complied so far, and the remaining handful are expected to comply before next week.”

 

The fire department’s defensible space program is mandated by the California Health and Safety Code, and its penalties are governed by law. Notices to abate as a fire nuisance were sent earlier this year to property owners, with a compliance deadline of May 31. 

Hahn also said that they have had no problems getting the cooperation of the property owners since they started the fire abatement program. “They get a big reminder when they get wind of neighboring fires,” said Hahn.

Those not in compliance could not only be issued a misdemeanor citation and have their names displayed in public, but also could have a lien placed on their property. The fire department may remove vegetation itself for fire abatement, assessing the property owner for the cost of the removal plus an administrative fee, and then place a lien on the real property.

 

The requirements for weed abatement are: to maintain a 100-foot defensible space surrounding structures by clearing 30-feet in the area immediately surrounding structures from all flammable vegetation, with the remaining 70 feet as a fuel reduction zone created by vertical and horizontal spacing of combustible vegetation; and to clear flammable vegetation 10 feet from all roadways. This does not apply to single trees, ornamental shrubs, or ground cover such as green grass, ivy succulents, agricultural crops or similar ground cover, as long as it does not pose a threat of readily transmitting fire from the native growth to any structure. Property must be free of fire hazard year-round.

When clearing vegetation, the fire department warns, owners should be cautious of operating equipment such as a lawnmower, which may spark and cause a fire or create a fire from engine heat coming into contact with dry weeds or other vegetative material.

For more information, call (805) 686-5066 or visit http://www.sbcfire.com.