Fire Agencies Host Home Tour to Promote Defensible Space Program

Cal Fire Chief Howard Windsor will be giving a public tour of homeowner Bob Robeson’s residence Friday in an effort to raise awareness of Defensible Space Days, a program that encourages San Diego County residents to clear fire hazards around their homes.

Sponsored by multiple organizations throughout the county, officials say members from several fire agencies and safety groups will be out in force from June 10 through June 12 to help provide information about defensible space, including what is required by law and local code.

According to state law, residents are required to defensibly treat the space around their homes up to 100 feet. Officials say this can be done by mowing regularly and maintaining lawn and weeds, having ignitable trees or shrubbery pruned or removed, placing any firewood collected away from the home and making the home’s address easily visible to emergency vehicles.

While they never like to predict an upcoming fire season, Cal Fire Capt. Mike Mohler says the graph so far looks like a normal season.

The kick-off event this weekend will be held at 10 a.m. on June 10 at Robeson’s house at 115080 Bridle Path Lane in Lakeside. Officials say Robeson credits defensible space for protecting his home during the 2003 wildfire in which several homes in his neighborhood were destroyed.

Several county officials will be in attendance, including supervisors Dianne Jacob and Pam Slater-Price; Ray Fernandez, fire warden for County Fire Authority; and Ron Lane, director of the Office of Emergency Services.