Crime & Safety

Residents Urged to Prepare for Wildfires

The Los Angeles County Fire Department urges Palos Verdes residents to prepare for this summer's fire season.

While cooler temperatures and rainfall Monday helped firefighters in Malibu and Ventura County get a handle on, officials closer to home are warning residents on the Palos Verdes Peninsula to prepare their own homes for what could be a big fire season.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department and local police agencies last week urged homeowners to create a plan for a possible wildfire and begin the necessary steps to create a defensible area around their homes.

"Wildfires are often fueled by dry vegetation and driven by hot, dry 'Santa Ana' winds, making them extremely dangerous and impossible to control," LACFD Fire Chief Daryl Osby wrote in an online post. "Some of our residents do not fully understand the impact that a wildfire could have on them, and few have adequately prepared their families for a quick evacuation."

Find out what's happening in Palos Verdeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

To help, the LACFD has created a "Ready, Set Go!" action plan that can help residents protect themselves and their property from wildfires.

"The most important person in protecting your life and property is not the firefighter, but yourself," Osby said. "Through advance planning and preparation, you will be ready for the next one."

Find out what's happening in Palos Verdeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On April 25, a small brush fire near Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes came within 50 yards of homes but was quickly knocked down by firefighters before it caused any damage.

According to Los Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief Luke Claus, this year's fire season has already arrived more than 30 days early.

"It has been very busy, and this is somewhat uncharacteristic this early in the season," Claus said of the recent brush fire in Rancho Palos Verdes. "This is kind of what you would get in mid-June."


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