LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT’S

1. LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPARTMENT’S BRUSH CLEARANCE PROGRAM

2. HISTORY California has a long history of devastating Wildfires.

3. BRUSH FIRE ACTIVITY WITHIN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES

4. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR CONFLAGRATIONS • Extended years of drought • Inadequate vegetation management • Increase in Urban Wildland Interface areas/ Development of communities • Poor Accessibility • Continued use of combustible building materials • Topography contributing to extreme fire behavior • Inadequate water pumping/supply systems • SANTA ANA WINDS are the main contributing factor in the spread of wildland fires • BRUSH CLEARANCE is second.

5. ACTIONS TAKEN BY LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO COMBAT BRUSH FIRES Equipment and Technology: • Digital Mapping/Aerial Photography • Improved Pumping Apparatus • Water Tenders • Brush Patrol • Firefighting Foam Capabilities • Stricter Personal Protective Equipment Guidelines • Modern Radio Communications • Risk Assessment / Pre-Fire Plan • Mutual Aid Agreements • Interagency Training

6. ACTIONS TAKEN(Continued) Public Education is Paramount • Informational Handouts • Brush Mass Mailer • Parking Enforcement Program

7. Los Angeles’ Chronological Enforcement Activities • Establishment of a Mountain Fire District • After the Bel Air Fire the City of Los Angeles enacted ordinances creating the Mountain Fire District (MFD) • Mountain Fire District Identifies areas within the City which are hazardous due to topography and native vegetation • Prohibited Untreated Wood Roofs and Required Fire-Resistive Roofs • Required new minimum Brush Clearance of 100 feet around structures

8. Los Angeles’ Chronological Enforcement Activities (Continued) Creation of Buffer Zone • 1971 Chatsworth FireDestroyed or Damaged 190 Homes Many of the Homes had Wood Roofs • The City of Los Angeles identified a Buffer Zone surrounding the existing Mountain Fire District (MFD) • The Mountain Fire District requirements were expanded to include the Buffer Zones

9. LAFD MODIFIES BRUSH CLEARANCE ENFORCEMENT • 1980 The City recognizes the necessity and benefit of a “quality” Brush Clearance Program • April 1981 The Los Angeles Fire Department’s Brush Clearance Unit was established • Coordinates and Conducts Brush Inspections of properties in the MFD and Buffer Zones • Assure property owner’s compliance • Contracts out noncompliant properties for clearing

10. HAZARDOUS HILLSIDE GRASS AREAS IDENTIFIED • A grass fire spread into light brush destroying 49 Homes • 3 People Died • The Fire Code was amended to include the following Communities into the Brush Clearance Program: • El Sereno • Mt. Washington • San Pedro • Baldwin Hills 1985 Baldwin Hills Fire

11. WOOD SHAKE and SHINGLED ROOFS BANNED The Granada Hills Fire December 1988 • 44 Homes Destroyed • Many homes had Class “C” fire retardant dip-treated wood shakes and shingles which failed under fire conditions • Santa Ana Winds, High Temperatures, and Low Humidity contributed to the spread of fire • Wood Shake and Shingled Roofs • BANNED by the City of Los Angeles, July 1989

12. THE BATES BILL (AB-337) 1993 Bates Bill Enacted • Local jurisdictions required to identify Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) and take mitigating actions • Zones are defined as areas that pose a significant threat of fire to adjoining natural brush and hillside areas • Determining Factors • Topography; Infrastructure; Fire Protection; Population Density • Type of Brush; Dwelling Density • Types of Construction; Weather • Existing Fire Code Ordinances • Fire History

13. LOS ANGELES FIRE CODEAMENDED • Division 25 of the Los Angeles Fire Code Amended • Defined Mountain Fire District and Buffer Zone as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) • Amendments to Division 25 and other Divisions of the Fire Code have required that the boundaries of the zones be modified • The name change to VHFHSZis consistent with the State of California’s terminology

14. BRUSH CLEARANCE PUBLIC EDUCATION and INFORMATION

21. REVISED BRUSH CLEARANCE ORDINANCE Effective May 10, 1997, the revised Brush Clearance Ordinance took effect. The new ordinance can be divided into three categories: Category 1 *Defensible Space The area within 100 feet of a structure must be maintained to provide a “Defensible Space” where vegetation is less flammable and not excessive in volume. *”Defensible Space” allows firefighters to work around the structure while protecting it from fire.

22. REVISED BRUSH CLEARANCE ORDINANCE(CONTINUED) Category 2 Fuel Modification Zone • Reduce the fuel load from 100 to 200 feet from structures • Prune branches from lower third of native plants • If plant/ tree is over 18 feet prune up 6 feet from ground • Remove all dead vegetation from plants and you may machine process ( chip and spread ) no deeper than 3 inches, 30 feet from structures nor 6 inches deep beyond

23. REVISED BRUSH CLEARANCE ORDINANCE(CONTINUED) Category 3 Landscape Vegetation Management • Applies to cultivated Landscape Vegetation • Remove all Dead Vegetation • Reduce the amount of Vegetation that could fuel a fire • Select individual plants less susceptible to fire • Dangerous Plants such as, Acacia, Pines, Juniper, Eucalyptus, Cypress and Pampas Grass

24. BRUSH CLEARANCE TIMELINE Brush Clearance is a Year Round Responsibility • APRIL 1st Mass Mailing of Brochures to Property Owners (for current year) • APRIL15 through MAYInitial Brush Clearance Inspection Sweep

25. BRUSH CLEARANCE TIMELINE(continued) Brush Clearance is a Year Round Responsibility • JUNE through JULYReinspections • JULY through DECContract Clearance • JANUARY through MARCH City-Owned Properties are Cited and Cleared Property Owners Appeal Hearings Scheduled before City Attorney (for prior year)

26. Brush Clearance ProgramImpact • 123,000 Initial Inspections Made • 15,000 Notices of Non-Compliance Issued • Between 800-1000 Properties are cleared by City contracts each year • No Structures Lost in the City in the Past 10 years due to Brush Fires