July
2008 | by Dismas Abelman
The
City of Del Mar has
taken a multi-faceted
approach to fire prevention
in the community.
Inspections, education
and fire-code updates
have been the focus
of the City's efforts
to protect the community
from fire. In past
articles I have described
the conditions that
lead to large-scale
fires in the San Diego
region and how we
can minimize our exposure
to these conditions.
Vegetation
management and construction
standards can maximize
the chances of people
and structures surviving
wildland fires. The
City will continue to
pursue a proactive approach
to fire safety, which
includes inspections,
education and progressive
fire codes.
The
fire-safety approach
targeted on multiple
fronts is the most effective
way to protect the community.
Of all the factors that
affect fire safety in
the Wildland Urban Interface
(WUI), the single most
important factor is
vegetation management.
In 2004 the City of
Del Mar adopted the
WUI code to address
the issue of vegetation
management and building
construction in Del
Mar's WUI. The City
also received a grant
to assist with the reduction
the amount of fuel in
and around Crest Canyon
in 2006. Recently, the
State of California
has adopted the WUI
Code and effective July
1, the City is responsible
for enforcing the new
code.
The
biggest change in the
new WUI code is a much
larger WUI in Del Mar
as defined by the State.
Once the State has adopted
a code, the City of
Del Mar has the option
of making the code more
restrictive, but the
City does not have the
option of making the
code less restrictive
or choosing not to enforce
the code. The result
is that Fire Department
personnel will inspect
all properties located
in the WUI for violations
to the WUI Code. Fire
Department personnel
will inspect homes for
vent protection, spark
arresters on chimneys
and vegetation management.
The intention is to
assist homeowners with
voluntary compliance
to make the City safer;
however, all homeowners
in the WUI have a responsibility
to meet the WUI code.
The
Del Mar Fire Department
will be pleased to
come to your home
and help you determine
actions you can take
to make it more fire
safe. Please call
the Fire Department
at 755-1522 if you
have any questions
or would like to schedule
an appointment.
Dismas
Abelman is Deputy
Fire Chief/Fire Marshal,
Del Mar and Solana
Beach Fire Departments.
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