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Hot weather prompts warnings about wildfires
Tall, thick grass crop means extra fire danger

by Glenn Wohltmann

It's dry and hot, but Dublin is prepared for wildfire season.

Firefighting in the city is handled by contract with the Alameda County Fire Department. Deputy Chief Dave Rocha said the city makes sure properties are cleaned early in anticipation of fire season.

"They're very proactive in making sure that it's cleaned up," Rocha said. "Dublin's got a very active program. They've got it set up so that everybody's done by the Fourth of July weekend.

Homeowners who don't make their property safe run the risk of having city workers do it for them, then place a lien on their homes.

The fire department wants people to mow their grass to a height of three inches or less, or maintain landscaping for a 100-foot radius around their homes. That lets firefighters get between a fire and their home. Trees should have their branches cut at least five feet off the ground, and people should clear any flammable materials like dried leaves or pine needles from their gutters.

Homeowners with long driveways should make sure they are wide enough to allow two-way traffic and that any grades or curves will allow firefighting equipment through. It's also important that people have their addresses clearly posted.

Although emergency dispatchers can identify a property based on where a 911 call comes from, often those calls are made from a cell phone or a neighbor, which can cause problems arriving at the scene.

This summer will be particularly high-risk due to unusually tall, thick grass crop this spring, according to Cal Fire. Cal Fire is hiring and training additional firefighters, and extra firefighting aircraft will be phased in as the summer progresses.

A checklist for homeowners is available at www.firedepartment.org.