Firefighters Gear Up For Wildfire Season, A Warning To SoCal After Several Quiet Years

Fire officials from Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura County, and all across California are gearing up for this year’s wildfire season with a stark message to the people they protect — you owe it to your family, and your firefighters, to be prepared.

All the heavy rain Southern California saw in the last couple of years has produced a lot of green vegetation that will eventually dry out under the scorching sun and become fuel for wildfires — especially in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Santa Clarita Valley, and the Antelope Valley, according to L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone.

Marrone said the 2020 Bobcat Fire is a vivid reminder “of how we can never let our guard down, as this year's fire season has the potential to be just as devastating,” at a news conference from the L.A. County Fire Department headquarters on Friday.

What fire officials are doing

Marrone said they want to assure people that the firefighters in Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties are ready to respond at a moment's notice.

Brian Fennessy, chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said that L.A. City Fire, L.A. County Fire, Ventura County Fire, and Orange County Fire got together after the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which burned nearly 97,000 acres, and agreed to support each other however possible.

“In other words, should there be another Woolsey Fire, something where hundreds of engines are needed right now, the agencies have agreed by phone call, fire chief to fire chief, that we will send whatever resources we need and get them on the road within minutes,” he said.

The departments still have access to the mutual aid system, which coordinates between cities, counties, and the state during emergencies, and Fennessy said we can’t have another situation where homes are being destroyed and lives are being threatened because there’s just not enough resources available in the area.

More than 9,000 acres of vegetation in the Angeles National Forest have also been treated by the U.S. Forest Service, according to Robert Garcia, fire chief for the department, who said they expect to continue ramping up those efforts.

“The rain, the drought, Santa Ana winds,” said Brian Marshall, fire chief with the California Office of Emergency Services. “Only time will tell what the history of the 2024 wildfire season will be, but I can assure you that we are ready.”

Fire officials from seven different agencies across California at the L.A. County Fire Department headquarters on Friday, June 14, 2024.

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Makenna Sievertson

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LAist

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However, Kristen Crowley, the fire chief for the city of L.A., said it’s going to take much more than prepared firefighters — they need the community’s commitment too.

How you can help

People are being warned to create a “defensible space” around their property, which is basically a buffer between any buildings and the grasses, trees, or shrubs that surround it.

“This space is crucial in slowing and stopping the spread of wildfire,” Crowley said. “It can protect your homes and provide a safe area for your firefighters to operate and do our jobs.”

You should first focus on clearing all the dead vegetation around your home, and Crowley noted that the city of L.A. requires 200 feet of clearance, including under decks and porches.

She also encouraged people to take the time to trim branches at least 10 feet away from your roof and chimney.

Finally, keep your yard free of leaves, pine needles, and other flammable debris. Crowley said keeping up with the maintenance in every season will protect yourself, your property, and first responders.

“Just understand that wildfire season might peak during certain months ... but the risk is present year round,” she said.

Dustin Gardner, the Ventura County fire chief, said you should prepare an emergency grab bag as soon as possible, if you don’t have one already.

Collect the critical documents, pet supplies, medications, and anything else you might need if the house is filled with smoke and you need to get out quickly.

Gardner said you should know what you need to pack and where you would need to go so that if an evacuation order is issued, you can clear out and firefighters can focus on protecting property, not people.

“If you fail to plan, you will plan to fail,” he said.

You can find more information on how to prepare for wildfire season from the L.A. City Fire Department here, from Cal Fire here, and from the Office of the State Fire Marshal here.