The Pasadena Fire Department anticipates another hot, dry summer. With average to above-average rainfall over the last few months, hazardous vegetation will be well grown by mid-summer. Therefore, it’s vital the department continue to conduct hazardous vegetation inspections.
In keeping in line with the city’s COVID-19 health order, fire personnel will wear face masks and practice social distancing when encountering homeowners. Fire personnel will work with homeowners to gain compliance during inspection to clear vegetation, but homeowners should recognize that brush clearance is essential to prevent brushfires, protect property, and save lives.
“We recognize that the risk of brushfires is extremely high in our urban interface. That risk must be mitigated for the safety of our residents and our fire suppression crews. Because we conduct fire inspections outdoors, we’re able to adequately socially distance ourselves from residents,” states Interim Fire Chief Bryan Frieders.
April typically marks the start of the fire department’s Vegetation Management Inspection Program. In advance of annual brush inspections, notification letters were mailed in early March to property owners in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) to give them ample time to abate hazardous brush. The goal is to inspect all properties involved and receive their compliance by June 30, 2020.
For additional information on Pasadena Fire Department’s Vegetation Management Inspection Program, contact (626) 744-7177.
